Thieves Can Be Heroes! Side Stories
by Mugiwara N0 Luffy
Summary: A collection of side stories made by both me and several fans! Most if not all will be non-canon but fun adventures, so please enjoy the ride! (warning, some chapters will contain endgame spoilers and will have so indicated at the beginning of them)
1. The Older Sister

**Disclaimer: I own neither My Hero Academia or Persona 5**

**Welcome to the side stories of Thieves Can Be Heroes! Some of them stem from my own creation, either for fun or as a gift to friends. Some of them also come from the minds of my readers and my beta reppuzan (as this first chapter is). Just something to note before continuing on, scenes in this side story will most usually be non-canon unless indicated differently. So just sit back and enjoy the ride! **

**WARNING: This snippet does contain endgame spoilers for Persona 5. If you haven't beaten the game yet and don't want to be spoiled, I do not recommend reading this. You have been warned. **

The Older Sister

By reppuzan

Izuku was torn as he went to bed that night. On one hand, he was on Cloud Nine. To think that he'd finally be able to attend U.A. after everything that happened in the past year... it was like something out of a dream. Sure, he would only be in the General Education course, but going to All Might's alma mater at all was something that seemed to be forever out of reach when he got that sentence practically a lifetime ago. But what would his new classmates think? How would a school designed to produce some of the greatest Heroes in the world treat one of the country's most infamous vigilantes? It was exciting. It was frightening. He wasn't sure which feeling to focus on.

But whatever fear he was feeling faded as he thought of his adventures with his friends. After all, nothing could be scarier than fighting the embodiments of the distorted desires of humanity, right? So, he closed his eyes and waited for sleep to take him.

But a strange and uncomfortable, yet familiar sensation jolted him awake. His eyes shot open and he began blinking away any remaining fogginess and drowsiness as he began surveying his surroundings.

It was his cell in the Velvet Room again. Everything was exactly as he had remembered it. The only difference was the fact that his hands and feet were unbound and his clothes hadn't changed. As he sat up, he felt something pressing into his palm. He opened his right hand to see the key had been given the day he left Tokyo. Was that really a month ago now?

"Welcome to the Velvet Room."

That voice didn't belong to Caroline, Justine, Lavenza or Igor. It was definitely older than either of the twins, with a certain mystique and playfulness that reminded Izuku of Takemi. He peered out of his cell, which now lacked a door, to see a beautiful woman with flowing, wavy silver locks and the same golden eyes as his former wardens standing in the center of the room, which was now entirely devoid of furniture.

She was wearing a blue satiny jacket with two parallel rows of silver rings running down the front that were shoulder-width apart. In her hands was a thick, dark-colored book that resembled an encyclopedia or a textbook.

This woman gently smiled at him as he got to his feet. "I've been expecting you, Izuku Midoriya."

"M-Me? But who...," he stopped as it hit him. "Are you-"

"My sister always said you were sharp," that smile grew a little wider. "Yes, I am Lavenza's eldest sister. You may call me Margaret."

"It's nice to meet you, Margaret-san. But... Why am I here? I thought I'd never be here again after we defeated Yaldabaoth."

"It's true. There's no real reason for you to visit this place again. The distortions that have plagued Tokyo have vanished thanks to the efforts of the Phantom Thieves," she opened the book in her hands and began flipping through the pages one by one. "You've earned your freedom and saved your world from the clutches of the mad god who forced you into a twisted game that was rigged against you from the start. But that's not why I brought you here."

"Then, why _did_ you bring me here?" he asked as he walked towards the entrance to his cell. Margaret was giving him far more questions than answers.

She stopped flipping through the pages and met his eyes again. "Well, I came to see what the man who stole my sister's heart was like."

"The man who stole your sister's heart? That doesn't make any sense. I didn't...," he felt his face heat up as the words sank in. "A-Ah! I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean to- I-I just t-tried to finish m-my 'rehabilitation' and uh- Not to say that Lavenza-san isn't cute but..."

Margaret laughed as Izuku's ramblings devolved into gibberish, covering her mouth with her free hand as if to be polite. "I apologize. It was a jest."

"A-A jest?"

"She told me how easy it was to embarrass you with anything remotely romantic. Still, it's something else to see it for myself," after a few more seconds of laughter, she stopped, her expression becoming more solemn. "But that's not why I called you here either. Please, come out here so we may speak face-to-face."

"Oh, um, okay." Izuku stuffed the key into his pocket as he stepped out of the cell and towards Margaret.

"I wasn't lying when I said that I wished to meet the man who stole my sister's heart. But I also wanted to experience your strength firsthand."

"My strength?" Izuku felt heat snaking over his shoes, looking down to see a circle of blue flames rising from the ground. It soon turned into a twister that engulfed him completely in an instant, subsiding only a few seconds later and leaving him in a familiar set of clothes. "M-My thief outfit?!"

He looked himself over and reached up to feel the mask that represented his Persona on his face. It hadn't changed either. His hands fell back to his sides. "Then... you want to fight me."

"Indeed. You and your friends defeated an entity so powerful that even my master was no match for it. I can't help but wonder what made it possible for you. Was it your ability to stand on your own in the face of certain doom? Or was it the strength of the bonds you've forged along your journey? Or is it simply a testament to humanity's infinite potential to grow and change? I must know the answer.

"Of course, I can't force you to battle me. If you wish, I can simply send you back to the real world. That decision is up to you. But if you defeat me, I promise you a reward for your efforts. What do you say? Are you willing to face one who resides over power?"

Izuku's eyes drifted to the floor as his hand came up to his lips. Should he battle her? What could he possibly gain from this? What is she looking for? Questions like these buzzed through his mind without end and none of them seemed to have any answers.

But if there was one thing he wanted to do, then it was to be a Hero again, one last time.

After was seemed like a small eternity, he looked back up and locked eyes with Margaret. "I'll do it. I accept your challenge, Margaret-san."

Margaret's smile returned. "Splendid. Now, are you absolutely sure you are ready to fight?"

He reached into his coat and found his staff and pistol along with all of the items he'd taken with him on his final heist. "Yes, I'm sure."

"Alright," Margaret let go of her book, which began to fly into the air along with an array of tarot cards that flew from its pages. "Then let's make this a battle to remember."

Her feet left the floor as her book and cards began to crackle with unbelievable amounts of energy. Even without Futaba or Morgana to guide him, Izuku could tell that Margaret was undeniably powerful. But he wasn't afraid, not anymore. It was time to put everything he learned into practice.

He reached up to the mask on his face and ripped it off with a grin to rival the Number One Hero.

"Come, Carter!"

**The End**

**This was a fun chapter to read as the first for the side stories! I do imagine something like this happening with Lavenza since she is the youngest of the Velvet Room siblings haha anyway, I hope you all enjoyed my beta's snippet, feel free to leave a review, a follow and a favorite if you'd be so kind!**


	2. Lover's Smash

**Disclaimer: I own neither My Hero Academia or Persona 5**

Lover's Smash

By: Kishou the Badger (Spacebattles)

It was some accident wandering through someone's Quirk portal after bumping into them. They apparently needed some time to rest before it could open again, and Izuku Midoriya found himself in a familiar part of Tokyo, with a key difference.

Quirks didn't exist. There were no Pro Heroes, yet no Super Villains either. It was both staggering and almost frightening to see a world without heroes around, as there was more of an urgency of being in danger without someone to protect others. Even more so when he realized that the Phantom Thieves did exist, as well as the Metaverse. Or at least had. After introducing himself to this word's leader of the Phantom Thieves, Ren Amamiya (who took Morgana's original proposed codename "Joker"), they spent the last hour or so talking about differences between their worlds and sharing a cup of Leblanc's coffee. Ayamiya was a good listener, and very nice and patient. In some ways he was better at the whole Wild Card aspect than Izuku was.

At one point, they were talking about their friends. Joker found it funny Izuku's Ryuji and Ann were dating, and Izuku was surprised that Makato wasn't a childhood friend of Ren's at all. Then Ren/Joker suddenly asked, "So, who's the special significant other, Hero?"

Somehow, despite not drinking his coffee at the moment and mouth free of any liquids, Izuku made a loud spittake over the counter. "W-W-W-W-WHAT?!"

"Come on. We're both professionals in our field, and Valentine's Day is around the corner. Don't you have someone in mind to spend that special date with?"

"I uh... haven't decided yet," Izuku stammered, fighting the flush on his face.

Joker quirked an eyebrow. "Seriously? A whole year of thwarting bad guys and taking hearts, literally and figuratively, and you haven't figured that out yet?"

It's true. Fighting bad guys to be popular and get people of the opposite sex to like you... that was very much a motivation for hopeful heroes that Izuku heard more than once. He didn't mind that kind of attention himself, but was ultimately more driven to do the right thing than to get a kiss (which is probably the furthest he ever thought towards the subject). Having four strong and beautiful women fight alongside him made things even more awkward.

"I... I just can't, okay! Koto-san, Taba-chan, Haru-san, they're all good friends and mean a lot to me, and it's hard to pick just one!" And he spoke earnestly on this. It only made things worse knowing they were getting impatient with him unintentionally playing this love square around.

"Just one, huh? Well, that's one way to do things, but if you're having trouble deciding, just do what I did."

"What's that?"

"Pick all of them."

For a moment, the coffee shop was silent, and Izuku tried to laugh off what he felt/hoped was a very poor joke. "...ahahaha, I'm sorry, Amamiya-san, I think I misheard you. It sounded like you said-"

"All of them, yes," Ren nodded. "I'm dating all of them."

"Okay, thanks for clearing that- WHAT?!" Izuku's scream couldn't have shaken the cafe hard enough to emphasize his shock.

"Yeah, I know. It surprises me too how good I am sometimes." Joker smiled and chuckled at what felt like the greatest joke ever, and it horrified Izuku that much more.

"Wh-wh-wh-WHY would you date all those girls at the same time?!" the green-haired hero exclaimed. "Do they even KNOW?!"

"Dunno. Just sort of happened. I didn't want to let any of them down when they asked, you know? I'm trying to work out letting them know too."

"But now you let ALL of them down because you led them on!"

"Well, they're hot," Ren shrugged.

"...what."

"I mean, think about it. Ann's a model, Kawakami's a maid, Takemi's a doctor... they all have some great vocations and talent that helped a lot during the whole year I was a Phantom Thief. I'm kind of better than the other examples of men out there, so I should get more women to handle me, right?"

Something about Ren's comment about the girls chilled Izuku to the bone. It wasn't quite as horrific in scope of the other criminals with palaces, but it brought a lot of memories of how they felt entitled to what they want. It was especially reminiscent of Kamoshida, and memories of how he treated Ann and Shiho resurfaced.

"...have you learned nothing from Kamoshida?" Izuku challenged, his nervousness tempered into tranquil fury.

"That ass of a king?" Ren scoffed. "He just flaunted his balls around with some old Olympic accomplishment. I at least worked the effort to get girls to like me."

"Have you even told them? Asked them if they want to be in... an open relationship?"

"I'm working on how to ease them into it. With all the chaos that happened after Okumura, it was the least of my immediate concerns. All that was important was their social links were strong and gave me the power needed to fight Shadows."

It took all Izuku's self-control not to punch the guy in the face... or perhaps his crotch. He didn't know why but he could oddly picture exactly how painful a blow there would be. Regardless, he knew he couldn't sit in the same room as his other-world self anymore. "...I think we're done here."

"You sure?" Ren asked nicely. "If you're serious about just one girl, I can offer you some other advice."

"No, it's fine," the shorter teen said, already leaving the stool seat. "I think my ride home is just about ready anyway."

"Well, it's been nice meeting you, Hero. Take care." The black-haired delinquent extended his hand with a smile. A smile that meant to be genuine but didn't know the depth of their own manipulations or actions towing the line between light and dark. Izuku had always worried about his own morality being a Phantom Thief, but felt oddly relieved he never went as far deep as Ren Amamiya.

"...yeah, you too, Joker," Izuku nodded, begrudgingly returning the handshake. Ren didn't seem to notice the reluctance.

As soon as he left the coffee shop, he pulled out his phone and tapped like mad with a detailed text to specific persons of interest.

Ren Amamiya will never see it coming.

* * *

_Half an hour later..._

"AMAMIYA!"

The door slammed loudly open with a louder scream. Ren, just in the middle of planning his next daily events, was startled to see the cute Ann Tamamaki fuming mad at him... and tailed behind a number of familiar, angry women.

"A-Ann? Makoto-"

Ann stopped him by shoving her phone up to his face. "WHAT THE HELL IS THIS, YOU DICK?!"

On her phone screen was a static image of a calling card, with the following message:

_"Ann Tamanaki, Makoto Niijima, Futaba Sakura, Haru Okumura,_  
_Tae Takemi, Sadayo Kawakami, Hifumi Togo, Chihaya Mifune, Ichiko Ohya,_  
_To all the nine lovers of Joker, great sinners of lust and envy alike,_  
_You are individuals so broken by reality that you need a single man to keep you down._  
_It is why I have decided to take all of your desires of love and mold them into my image, all at the same time._  
_For no one woman is enough to satisfy the awesomeness that is the terror of the dark, the man of many masks, the savior of Christmas._  
_That, and you nine are already smitten by me, so this is just a formality in the manner of an orgy._  
_Signed, Joker of the Phantom Thieves._

_P.S. Invite Sae Niijima over too. She will be the tenth."_

Ren Amamiya blinked, slowly processing what he was reading. Not because of slow reading speed, but trying to comprehend what exactly was there. The number, the contacts, the color of the background, the way the calling card was written...

It was a bad dream, right? He didn't send this message. He couldn't! He didn't check his phone at all today, and didn't get any pings either!

Wait... that Midoriya kid couldn't have-

"Amamiya-kun, you can explain yourself, right?"

He looked between all the young women's tear-struck scowls. Ms. Kawakami, Chihaya, Haru, Futaba...

Ren's quick wit remembered that Futaba knew and hacked his phone. Surely she knew that he never sent any text like this, and that the real jerk who set this up was out there somewhere.

"Futaba, wait! You can vouch me on this, right? You know who really did this, right?"

The ginger-haired girl's eyes were obscured by a dynamic flare on her glasses that emphasized her anger. "I heard _everything_ you two-timing prick."

...shit, that worked completely against his favor. He forgot all about the fact Leblanc was still bugged.

"We're waiting here, Ren."

"What do you have to say for yourself?!"

They were all glaring at him, expecting an answer. Ren usually had options to say a few words that could change their mood and make them happy, but he couldn't see what words to say would make the situation any better. If it COULD be any better.

"Uh... I love you all?"

All of the girl's eyes narrowed. Ann snapped a whip between her hands, Makoto slipped on her brass knuckles, and Haru reached for her ax. Everyone else grabbed what was lying around the coffee shop or just winded their fists and legs back.

Ren could only think of two things before he blacked out from the All-Out Attack.

1\. _That was definitely the wrong thing to say._  
2\. _When did they get their Metaverse weapons?_

* * *

Izuku couldn't believe he actually did that. He was used to underhanded methods to beat Shadows and steal the hearts of villains, but creating a fake calling card by phone and then sending it to the girls Joker was cheating on was another story.

If it weren't for that world's Futaba, he probably wouldn't have gone through with it at all. She knew the other necessary contacts and her hacking prowess meant a digital forgery of Yusuke's usual style was easy.

It wasn't any of his business, even Futaba told him as much. The whole situation probably would have blown up sooner or later and he didn't need to do a thing. But Izuku just couldn't sit by and know that people he knew and care for were being manipulated.

_They're not from my timeline, but no one hurts the hearts of my friends._

Izuku pulled out his phone, flipping through a few images he shared with his friends. He made a lot with everyone over the year, from some odd contacts to even a few of his peers from U.A. like Mei and Kacchan. Three pictures stood to mind, as he lingered on them the longest as he flipped through.

A joke selfie made when he and Makoto were having fun masquerading as a "couple".  
A milestone celebration at Akibahara for completing Futaba's second promise list.  
A picture made by Haru herself leaning close to Izuku and the veggies they made on the roof.

He sighed... no, more like taking a steady breath. Through that visit with Joker, he found the confidence to move on the issue he had been avoiding for a while. After all, he saw the consequences first hand. He slowly texted the message to Makoto, Futaba and Haru.  
_  
"Meet me at Leblanc's. We need to talk. About us."_

**The End**

**Thanks goes to Kishou the Badger for making this interesting little snippet! It was a nice little deconstruction of the idea that you can date all of the girls in P5 at the same time, something that someone like Izuku would not very much favor haha It was a cool little spin on their meeting, and I certainly enjoyed the idea that Ren did get his just deserts on that. **

**Anyways, I hope you all enjoyed! Feel free to leave a review, a follow and a favorite if you'd be so kind :) **


	3. Makoto's Awakening (Second Take)

**Disclaimer: I own neither My Hero Academia or the Persona series.**

Makoto's Awakening (Second Take!)

By Kishou the Badger (Spacebattles)

"Hero."

"Yeah, Fox?"

"Remind me to avoid agitating Nijima in the future."

"Got it."

They, along with the rest of the Phantom Thieves, could only stare in stunned silence as Makoto laid waste on Kaneshiro's guards singlehandedly. Even Izuku, who had known about Makoto's inner rage and quirk powers, was taken aback by the sheer _intensity_ of her assault.

"JOHANNA!" She _screamed_ as she tore her metal mask off. The Persona appeared, in midair, divebombing to a cluster of Onis before exploding in nuclear light and melting them. Another Oni tried to sledge her from behind during the Persona summon, but was brutally backhanded at the balls, hard enough to force the demon to drop its cudgel and cup his crotch. Makoto then stomped hard on the end of the weapon, spinning up in the air, and catching it before swinging with all her might at the Oni's face, breaking the weapon.

The Oni was still conscious, but made all the more an open target as Makoto grabbed his horn and repeatedly slammed his face into her knee three times. Then she pivoted the horn and place another hand against his chest, throwing him over her and towards the shocked Shadows. More explosions and they were gone.

"RRRROWR!" A Nekomata screeched, throwing her self forward and claws outstretched. Makoto quickly stepped back to avoid the razor nails, and continue to sidestep her attacks like a dance. A dance where she would retaliate a claw swipe with a high kick, anyway. The whole time, the other Thieves started to notice for the first time how form-fitting her new jumpsuit was, especially around the legs.

"Damn, she's got some footwork," Panther noted with some awe and envy.

"I'll say!" Skull added with a bit of a smile. This earned him an annoyed elbow to the gut by the blonde next to him. "Ow!"

Eventually the Nekomata was too tired to do anymore, allowing Makoto to pull back her arm with a devastating punch. A punch that sent the cat-girl flying (and screaming now less) before colliding with a Fuu-ki and toppling the faceless ogre over.

"I SAID GET HER YOU IDIOTS!" Shadow Kaneshiro snapped, more enraged as the fight became more one-sided. "What do you think I pay you for?!"

"You don't pay me!" A Shadow security guard next to him snapped. "We don't even exist! We're just cognition demons in an alternate reality used to personify your concept of reality!"

Kaneshiro stopped and stared at the self-aware Shadow, all the more blustering with rage before pointing his finger at it. "One more crack like that and I'll make _you_ a client!"

"No, please! I have three kids!"

At the convincing threat, more Shadows started to rush over, and even Makoto knew this was getting them nowhere. So she turned to the idle thieves and snapped at them, "What the hell are you waiting for? We need an escape route NOW!"

"W-well, yeah, but we're in the middle of the air!" Panther reasoned.

"And the exits are all sealed up!" Mona added.

"Must I do EVERYTHING?!" Despite the annoyance, Makoto proceeded to summon her bike persona again, and mount on it. "Follow me!" She sped up on Johanna, making a deliberate donut turn to hit any Shadows trying to catch her, and sped for the front door.

Hero snapped out of his gaze/admiration, realizing what she intended to do. "Mona! Transform! NOW!"

"Huh? Oh! Right!" A moment later, Mona became a catbus again, and once inside with everyone, Hero floored on the gas pedal.

They clearly outpaced the Orthrus guard dogs chasing them, but were still coming straight for a sealed entrance. Makoto didn't slow down, and neither did Izuku.

"Uh, Hero?" Morgana said. "This looks like a bad ideaaaaa!"

"You're seriously not going to-?" Skull asked, but was too afraid to finish the thought.

"Everybody hold on!" Izuku shouted. Fox, Panther and Skull, all sitting in the back seat, suddenly huddled in a group hug.

Meanwhile, Makoto started to stand up from her seat on Johanna, hands clutching the accelerator on the handle. Then she twisted the grip and jumped back. "Freila!"

Johanna continued speeding even as it flashed white. The priestess-turned-motorcycle Persona crashed into the doorway and exploded with nuclear energy. Makoto, blown further away by the force, landed on the roof of Morgana's car head. "OW!" the catbus cried. "I'm not Lucille, you know!"

When the smoke cleared, the door was blown wide open and had enough room for Morgana to speed right on through. Which he did.

Annoyed and agitated, Kaneshiro reached for his coat radio. "Turn off the gate!"

"We made it!" Panther cried. They had made some tight getaways before, but this was easily the best one yet.

"We're gonna live! We're gonna live!" Okay, Skull was hamming it up, but the excitement was getting to him and frankly, everyone felt pretty happy.

That is, until the rainbow gate connecting the sky bank to the Shibuya street suddenly vanished.

And Morgana started to down to the ground faster than necessary. Panic set in as the the street came into full view of the windshield.

"We're gonna DIIIIIIIIIIIIIIEE!" Panther cried.

""I LOVE YOU, ANN!"" Both Skull and Mona cried together; though only one of them was there to hug her for security reasons.

Fox also hugged Panther, purely to try and recapture the essence of a mother he once saw in her when they first met. Izuku gripped the wheel tightly and was slightly crying thinking he would never see his mother, his guardian, or any of his friends/confidants again.

Only Makoto, still adrenaline high, had the wits to think of something. She quickly reached for her phone, struggling to swipe through as free-falling threatened her grip on Mona's roof. Within seconds, she found the app and pressed it.

**"Thank you for exploring the Metaverse. We will see you again."**

* * *

...

"...are we dead?"

Slowly, everyone opened their eyes to realize they were sitting on a street in Shibuya. The real one, full of real people walking by and not paying them any notice, not the cognitive one with a flying bank and ATMs for people. Ryuji recovered first, quickly breaking free from Ann and kissing the ground almost comically. "Oh, ground! Sweet, sweet mother earth! I'll never take you granted again!"

"Are you alright, Ann?"

"Yes, but I would feel a lot better, Yusuke, if you LET GO OF ME!"

"Hey, what about me?!" Morgana meowed, stretching his back. "I was the one who nearly got totaled!"

Izuku slowly blinked as the reality came in. They were back home, all safe and... wait a minute.

"Koto-san!" he cried out and shot up, looking around frantically. "Koto-san!"

"Ugh..."

He turned to sound and saw Makoto on her hands and knees, rubbing her head as if fighting off a headache. Relieved, he hurried over and held a hand out to pull her up. "Koto-san, I'm here!"

She looked up to him with an unreadable expression on her face, along with a bit of a flush. Was she that tired from fighting? "Midori..."

Before he could say anything, she grabbed both sides of his face with her hands and smashed lips with him.

"MMPHM?!"

"Wha-?!"

"Wh-what are they doing?"

"I believe they are French Kissing."

"You know that's not what he meant, Yusuke!"

Izuku couldn't hear his friend's commentary. He was too busy being short-circuited by the act of kissing. He always felt his friend Makoto was a pretty attractive girl, but getting a kiss from her was the furthest thing on his mind to ever happen. Not that he didn't _want_ it to happen, he just didn't assume or think or hope or... it was all a downward spiral that left him a jittering, flustering, mumbling mess, and their lips were _still _in contact. And being held so dominantly yet so _tenderly..._

His first kiss was with Koto-san. And it was_amazing._

"MmmmmuAH!" Makoto finally broke free of her forceful kiss, but she wasn't done yet as she frisked his body. His _lower_ body, and most intimate place. _Eep!  
_  
"THIS IS MINE!" Makato cried out, for all of Shibuya to hear. "THIS IS WHERE MY BABIES COME FROM!"

For a moment, many people stopped and stared; not just their friends who were the most shocked either. Shibuya was a busy town after all, and just because they would overlook children disappearing in broad daylight doesn't mean they were deaf to such proclamations.

Most just went on as they didn't know who they were, but a good number of them were high school students. Some recognized the situation for what it was, with equal parts envy and pity for a boy like Izuku having a strong girl wear the real pants of their supposed relationship.

But some, even a small number, were also from Shujin Academy, and recognized the Student Council President Nijima and the alleged delinquent Midoriya. Word might start small, but it will spread, as will pictures of Makoto kissing Izuku as well as Makoto grabbing Izuku rather forcefully under the belt.

The adrenaline of the fight was gone, and Makoto was just now starting to realize what she had done. She looked down to see Izuku stare at her with the brightest, reddest, _cutest_ face imaginable. And... smeared red gloss on his lips. From her own.

And looking down, she found her hands locked down and viced around something... _rather pleasant to feel-  
_  
That alone was enough to pry her hand away and cover her face. Oh god, she didn't! Not in public.

"So," Ryuji smirked teasingly. "Babies, huh?"

Oh god, she _did._

With one last shared glance of two friends, who started to realize they _may _have more feelings for each other than simple friendship, they fell backwards and blacked out in perfect sync.

Ann and Ryuji caught Makoto and Izuku respectively before they hurt themselves falling on concrete. After relaxing they were out of harm's way, Ann snapped at her insensitive friend. "Dammit, Ryuji! They didn't need that!"

"Hey, I was just teasing, and it usually took more than that to get Izuku riled up." He shook the boy in his arms lightly. "I mean, it looks like he finally got himself a friend. I feel kind of happy for him."

"You need to work on a better way to show it, though."

From his elevated perch, Morgana peered over between Izuku's fainted face (which looked rather comical with X's for eyes) and Makoto's (which looked serene in comparison). "So wait, did they _both_ pass out?"

Yusuke chuckled. "Well, they saw birds of a feather flock together..."

**The End**

**Haha now this was one of my favorite snippets from a reader. I'll admit that I do enjoy the flames of shipping wars sometimes, and this guy wrote it up after a joke prompt by one of the other readers. Let me just say that, while no pairing for Izuku is decided, I have nothing against this one XD i do hope you all enjoyed! **


	4. UA Hangout!

**Disclaimer: I just want to remind everyone that this is a purely non-canon one-shot. Whatever happens within this does not pertain to anything that may or may not happen within the main story. So take a seat and enjoy the ride! **

UA Hangout!

"Welcome to our dorms!"

Izuku marveled at the building before him. After Bakugou's kidnapping and rescue from the League of Villains, U.A. decided to build a dormitory for the students to live in as a precaution against further attacks against the students. To thank them for their part in helping rescue Bakugou, the U.A. students invited the Phantom Thieves to their new rooms. Mina Ashido and Momo Yaoyorozu were their welcome party at the entrance.

"Man, is this even real?! This place is nicer than most apartments!" Ryuji exclaimed, gawking up at the main dormitory.

"You definitely can't say that they aren't making you guys comfortable here, huh?" Ann chuckled, looking down at Mina.

"Its aesthetic truly is quite something to take in. U.A. spares no expense when it comes to its students," Yusuke mused, holding his hands together and framing the dorm between his fingers.

"Seriously, how much money does this school have?! I need to check that out in case of anything shady…" Futaba said, rubbing her chin in thought.

"I don't think you need to go to that extent, Futaba-chan," Haru giggled, shaking her head.

"So is this for every student at UA or just the Hero Course?" Makoto asked curiously, turning her attention to their hosts.

"Oh, they built dorms for every class in U.A., but this building is strictly for our class. I believe the others are built with the same exterior and interior," Momo explained for her, offering a gentle smile as she spoke.

"And it only took 'em three days to build these?! No effin' way!"

"Well come on, everyone! We didn't invite you over so that you could stand in the cold!" Mina exclaimed, waving an arm for the group to follow her. "Let's check out the inside!"

"R-Right!" Izuku nodded, smiling as he followed the bubbly pink skinned girl with the rest of his team close behind.

"Thank you for inviting us again, Momo-chan. I hope we're not imposing," Haru said as she walked alongside the Creation Quirk user.

"It's really no trouble. We're all glad to have youall join us tonight," Momo reassured, flashing a kind smile for Haru.

"This way~!" Mina called out, jogging a bit ahead of them to the main living room. As the Thieves walked in, they were met with the surprising sight of the entire U.A. class, several of them setting off confetti poppers the moment they walked in.

"Surprise!" The class's collective voice echoed out, Mina taking the lead with arms wide in welcome.

"Hi, everyone! We weren't expecting a welcome like this!" Izuku smiled as he walked forward to meet the rest of the class.

"Nonsense! It would be improper for us not to celebrate after you and your group helped to rescue one of our classmates!" Iida declared, waving his arms sporadically around him in emphasis.

"Not that he wants to join the celebration," Todoroki said, his voice flat as usual. The group turned their attention to a certain explosive blond teen. Bakugou rested his back against the wall, keeping his gaze away from the Thieves.

"H-Hey, Kacchan…" Izuku said, slowly raising a hand and waving. Bakugou merely looked up at him from the side, not uttering a word in greeting.

"You really have been growing, Baka-chan. Normally you wouldn't even shown up to something like this," Makoto commented offhandedly, a small teasing smirk on her lips.

"B-Baka-chan?! Is that what you call him?!" Kaminari blurted, quickly raising a hand to his mouth and stopping a fit of laughter. "Th-That's great! How'd no one think of that?"

"What was that, dunce face?!" Bakugou snapped, a vein popping on his forehead.

"Splodey definitely seems back to normal," Futaba chuckled, watching the explosive blond in amusement.

"I'm glad we were able to save you before anything bad could happen, Katsu-chan. How have you been?" Haru said kindly, only causing Bakugou to click his tongue.

"I'm fine. You don't need to worry about me," Bakugou huffed, keeping his gaze away from the puffy haired girl.

"Heh, it might not seem like it, but Bakugou here's real thankful for your help," Kirishima chuckled, slapping the explosive blond on the shoulder.

"Come on, grab some pizza! We got plenty for everyone!" Mina encouraged the group, pushing them toward the center of the room to join the U.A. students at the couch.

"Here, Futaba-chan. I made you a plate-gero," Tsuyu said, bringing a plate of pepperoni to the petite hacker.

"Oh, thanks Tsu-chan!" Futaba smiled, following the frog girl to the couches, taking a seat with her and Uraraka.

"We were real scared when we heard you guys showed up to help rescue Bakugou, though. We thought you guys might get arrested, too," Kaminari said, Ryuji and Ann taking a seat next to him and Jirou. "How'd you guys make your escape?"

"Sorry, trade thief secret," Ann giggled, sticking her tongue out playfully.

"Man~! Being a Phantom Thief sounds so cool!" Mina exclaimed, plopping on the top edge of the couch and slouching over it. "There's just something romantic about the idea of the kind of vigilantes you guys are in this day and age, you know?"

"You shouldn't say that, Mina-chan. We're still training to be heroes, so we shouldn't try to go outside the law, gero," Tsuyu said, speaking her mind on the subject. She looked at Futaba with a kind smile. "Of course, that doesn't apply to to non-heroes in training."

"Good!" Futaba giggled, cozying up closer to her froggy friend.

"Still, I have to agree with Mina. It does sound like being a Phantom Thief would be really cool and romantic. Fighting for the little guy while also on the run from the cops. Changing the hearts of evil adults, civilian or villain. So cool~!" Uraraka said this time, a dreamy expression on her face.

"Being a Phantom Thief sounds stupid as hell," Bakugou spat, clicking his tongue at the idea.

"Being warranted for arrest does sound like a hassle. I'll stick to being a hero," Todoroki offhandedly commented.

"No way, you two. Manly is what it is!" Kirishima declared, a shark toothed grin forming on his lips. "I honestly didn't get it at first. I mean, with heroes everywhere, why would we need Phantom Thieves? But then I heard about all the people too afraid to come out with their problems that you help, and realized it was a lot deeper than I thought. You guys are the definition of manly!"

"I'm not sure all of us like to be considered 'manly', Kirishima-kun. But I'll take it as a compliment," Makoto giggled, moving to the couches with Izuku and Yusuke.

"I bet girls love the idea of the Phantom Thieves. It definitely makes you look like awesome rebels," Kaminari sighed, an envious look on on his face.

"Not that any girls would shoot for you, either way," Jirou jabbed, causing Kaminari to sink into the couch.

"Meh, it's alright I guess… you can't exactly go around tellin' people you're the Phantom Thieves, so you don't really get to enjoy that," Ryuji grumbled, only to have Ann roll her eyes and elbow him in the side.

"You know… There is one thing I noticed about your group…" the familiar and sly voice of Mineta mused as he peeked over the edge of the couch, the girls narrowing their eyes in annoyance as they waited for his point. "There's more girls than boys between you all, huh?"

The Thieves were surprised by the inquiry, as tame as it was compared to what they were expecting from Mineta instead, before the group looked around at one another.

"Well… Yes and no, actually…" Izuku admitted with a sheepish chuckle.

"What do you mean?" Uraraka asked curiously.

"We do technically have one more member among us, but his situation is… complicated," Yusuke answered, rubbing his chin in thought.

"Oh, someone we don't know, huh? That's pretty suspicious…" Mina giggled playfully.

"Too bad. And here I thought that this meant there was some sorta harem possib-" Mineta wasn't able to finish the sentence as an earplug stabbed into his ear, causing him to squeal in pain.

"_About time someone mentioned me!" _Izuku heard Morgana's muffled voice from his bag, jumping as he realized that he forgot to take him out. Izuku quickly brought the bag around, zipping it open for him to pop out. "M-Morgana-san! Sorry, I-"

"Ah~, a cat?!" Mina and Uraraka exclaimed in excitement, quickly rushing Izuku from both sides and crowding around Morgana. Of course, this action caused Izuku to fluster up as he froze at their close proximity.

"You carry a cat around with you?" Momo asked in surprise.

"A-Ah, yeah. I meant to let him out earlier but forgot in all the excitement," Izuku admitted, scratching the back of his head as Morgana glared at him. "H-He doesn't like to be left alone and follows me around, so I'll put him in my bag when I have to…"

"Hey, don't make me sound that need-" Morgana complained until he felt hands wrap around his midsection, pulling him completely out of the bag and hoisting him in the air.

"He's so cute~!" Mina grinned, holding Morgana close to her face and rubbing her nose against his.

"H-Hey, wait! No! I-I wanted my first kiss to be Lady Ann!"

"Aw~, he sounds so cute when he's meowing!" Uraraka giggled, playing with one of his paws. The rest of the Thieves held in laughs, being able to hear his complaints unlike the others. Though none noticed Koda in the back of the living room staring at Morgana with great confusion.

"Still… setting aside the perverts idea, I am a little~ interested in something," the voice of Hagakure sang out, her pajamas floating around as she moved. "Is there any romances under the moonlight among the Phantom Thieves of Hearts~?"

"H-Huh?! W-Where'd that come from?" Ryuji mumbled nervously, he and Ann exchanging quick glances before scooting away from one another, the platinum blonde tugging on the end of her left twin tail.

"None that I'm aware of," Yusuke answered simply, crossing his arms over his chest. "I imagine that we've all been quite busy between school and our work as Phantom Thieves."

"Y-Yeah! That's right!" Ann agreed a bit too quickly, earning suspicious looks from the UA students. "W-Well, I mean, that only applies to… half of us, I guess. Izuku on the other hand…" She said, deciding to throw their leader to the lions as she grinned cheekily.

The UA girls, and some of the boys, raised a brow before directing their attention to the leader of the Phantom Thieves. Much to their surprise, the cup he held with both hands was shaking terribly, his face a steaming pink as he kept his eyes glued to the ground.

"Yes, Izuku. Why don't you share with everyone your… romantic exploits?" Makoto asked, a surprising amount of edge in her voice as she stared at him from the side as she sipped from a cup.

"Y-Yeah, Izuku! Go ahead! I'm sure you've got a lot to say…" Futaba said this time, leaning over Tsuyu's lap and pushing up on her glasses, light glaring from the lenses.

"Yes, I'm sure we'd all be interested to hear about it," Haru added this time, giving a smile that failed to veil the cloud of irritation hanging over her.

"Um… what's… going on right now?" Kirishima asked, a bead of sweat trailing down his cheek.

"Oh ho ho ho~, I think I know~!" Mina began to giggle maniacally, looking at Izuku with a knowing look, the green haired teen lowering his head deeper to hide his face. "You sly dog! You always act really quiet and stuttery, too!"

"Wow… A true battle of hearts if I've ever seen one…" Uraraka muttered in awe.

"**The harem path LIV-**" Mineta started before Sero proceeded to tape his mouth.

"Wow, I really wasn't expecting this! You must be one real smooth talker, huh?" Hagakure laughed, nudging Izuku's shoulder with an invisible hand.

"I-It's not what you think! I…" Izuku trailed off, looking at the female members of the Thieves as they silenced him with glares. It wasn't that Izuku was dating them all and got caught, but more like they all confessed to him one at a time, and he had asked for time to think on it. He had yet to give any girl a clear answer. And this only accounted for the girls that were part of their team.

"Looks like you have it rough."

Looking back, Izuku saw Ren Amamiya approach, a gentle smile on the quiet boy's face as he offered Izuku a plate of pizza.

"Th-Thanks…"

"W-Well, setting that aside, wh-what about you guys?" Ryuji coughed out, hoping to save his best friend from the current air of awkwardness surrounding him.

"Well, it's sorta like Yusuke-kun said. We've been wa~y too busy for that kinda thing!" Mina exclaimed, a look of disappointment on her face as she handed Morgana over to Uraraka. "I mean, between training and Villain attacks, we haven't really had much time, you know?"

"Ah, I suppose that makes a lot of sense," Makoto chuckled, allowing her annoyance to pass as she smiled at Mina. "What's next on the agenda for your class?"

"Well we do have the Hero License Exam coming up soon. Thankfully we were given today and tomorrow off so that we can get situated in our new living quarters," Momo explained this time.

"Oh that must be nice. Though I guess with everything that happened, you guys deserve it," Ryuji said.

"Yup, sure is! So come on, everyone! Let's liven it up tonight together!" Mina exclaimed, holding up a cup of soda in hand.

"Yeah!" Classmates and Phantom Thieves alike cheered in agreement. From that point on, the party broke into a fun night of chatter, each of the Thieves breaking off and chatting up with someone they were most familiar with.

"Did you catch up on Featherman, Tsu-chan?!"

"Sorry, not yet-gero. I haven't really been able to sit and watch any shows lately," Tsuyu answered honestly, eliciting a groan from Futaba.

"Come on, you have to catch up! I wanna talk about all the craziness that just happened in the latest episode! In fact, we're going to your room later and catching up on it!"

"If you want, I'm okay with that."

"Oh, can I join?! I haven't caught up on it either!" Uraraka said, joining the conversation as she brought Tsuyu a drink.

"Another fan..? Of course! But only after you tell me who your favorite Featherman is!" Futaba declared, pushing up on her glasses seriously.

"My favorite..? Well… Pink Featherman! She's super cool and I love her actress!"

"... I'll allow it."

The girls shared a laugh before continuing their talk about the show.

"Are you still gardening, Haru-san?" Momo asked, her and the Okumura Foods heiress casually chatting together.

"Oh, yes. Recently I've been learning quite a lot about vegetable gardening and coffee bean flavors, as well! I've been thinking of using the knowledge I gain to help the company expand its horizons."

"Oh my, that sounds wonderful! You'll make for a good CEO someday with that mindset," Momo smiled.

"I hope so. I've still got a lot to learn, but I'll take whatever experience I can to make the company a better place," Haru said with determination.

"Heh, you've definitely got a rocker's attitude, Haru. We'll be cheering for you," Jirou's voice cut in, the punk teen walking up and smiling at them both.

"Like this?" Kirishima asked, making a strongman pose as he hardened his skin.

"Yes, just like that. Hold that position for just a moment…" Yusuke trailed off, forming his fingers into a frame as he observed Kirishima closely. "I shall carve this image into memory for later reference…"

"Sorry, Kirishima. He gets like this sometimes," Ryuji sighed in apology, only for the redhead to laugh.

"Nah, it's cool! If I can help him make a badass painting, I'm up for it!"

"Talk about committed to art, though. Even when we're at a party, that's all the guy thinks of…" Sero mumbled, raising a brow in surprise.

"Hey, hey. Have you done any nude paintings, dude?!" Kaminari whispered to the artist in excitement.

"We have had a few used for my classes, but none that truly inspired me in a meaningful way," Yusuke casually said, eyes narrowing as he inspected Kirishima further. "I did almost paint Ann nude, however. Though that never panned out."

"Wh-Whoa! I woulda killed to see that painting…" Kaminari mumbled, drool dripping at the edge of his mouth.

"Hey man, watch it, that's-" Ryuji started before stopping short, coughing into his hand and straightening out. "I-I mean, I'd watch what you say with her so close by, you know. Ann can be pretty scary…"

"Hey, Yusuke… how long do I have to stay like this?"

"Just another two minutes. Make sure you don't move a single inch…"

"Man, Ann-senpai, I'm so jealous! I can't eat too many sweets like that or I start to get a little chubby…" Mina complained, a small piece of cake on her plate when compared to Ann's much larger slice.

"Really? That's so weird. I usually eat as much as I want without having to worry," Ann admitted, forking a bit of her cake into her mouth. "I don't workout much either… well, except when we're out doing Phantom Thief stuff."

"Can you believe that, Makoto-senpai? I wish I could be that carefree! I have to watch what I eat too, or it'll ruin my figure! I hate it!" Hagakure whined, her invisible arms wagging at her sides.

"R-Right, I suppose I can understand that…" Makoto laughed, a bead of sweat rolling down her face. _I guess I can make out her figure somewhat because of her clothes, but… it's still not easy. _"Well… with how much training you do, perhaps a little now and then wouldn't hurt? I stay in shape thanks to my Aikido training, so I sometimes spoil myself as well."

"Oh, maybe you're right! We definitely work really hard most of the time!" The invisible girl said, excitement lacing her voice. "Maybe I'll go get some more cake, then!"

"T-Try not to go too crazy, Hagakure-san!"

"Still, I can't help but hate how amazing your figure is!" Mina said before a sly grin spread across her lips. "I bet that keeps Ryuji-senpai happy, eh~?"

"Well yeah, but he's so-" Ann broke out in a blush, waving her arms in front of her. "I-I mean, wh-what's it matter what he thinks?! Please…"

"Uh-hu~h…"

Izuku smiled as his eyes glazed across the room, watching all of his friends interact so freely and honestly. Aside from when they hung out, Izuku knew they were all still withheld around people outside of the Phantom Thieves. Here, they were able to act as freely as they liked.

"You're not going to join them?"

Izuku looked up to see Ren taking a seat on the couch next to him.

"Ah, Amamiya-san. I will, I'm just settling in is all. Thank you guys again for inviting us over."

"It's cool. Everyone seemed excited to do it," Ren answered simply, looking at the broken up crowd as well. "Bakugo might be a jerk, but he's our jerk. It wasn't fun knowing he was out there alone like that. You helped ease our troubles."

"I'm glad to hear that. I was really worried when I heard about it too, to be honest," Izuku smiled at the quiet teen.

"You have a really good team of friends. I feel like you would all fit in at UA pretty well," Ren mused, a curious look on his face.

"I think they would have. They all have what it would take to be heroes too," Izuku declared confidently. Morgana trotted up to the two, jumping on the couch and looking up at Ren.

"Hm… this guy certainly has a mysterious but strong air to him… I be he'd make a good member of the team," Morgana commented with interest, causing Izuku to laugh sheepishly.

"What is it?" Ren asked, ignorant to the cat's words.

"O-Oh, nothing. I think he likes you, though…"

The party went late into the night. It wasn't until Aizawa showed up complaining about the noise that the party ended. With that, the students of UA waved their goodbyes to their friends from the Phantom Thieves.

**The End**

**Welp, there you have it guys. I hope you all enjoyed that little fun one-shot! Sorry if the ending seemed abrupt, I just wasn't sure what the proper way to end it was considering it was just a fun little bit of interaction between Class 1-A and the PThieves. Sorry if some characters you wanted to see showcased didn't get a spot, it's hard to fit in so many students into one scene like that, to be honest so it's easy to forget people lol**

**Anyways, hope that was a fun experience, and again, thank you all SO-so much for supporting Thieves Can Be Heroes! to the amount you all have. I hope to keep delivering on this story as much as possible and that you'll all stay on this journey with me until the end! **


	5. Cloud Link Zero snippits!

**Note: neither snippit reflects any events that may or will occur in the main plot of Thieves and is a non-canon side story written by a reader. Please enjoy!**

**Hawaii with Kawakami**

**Written by: Cloud Link Zero**

Please note: this snippet does not reflect anything that will occur in the main story.

He couldn't believe the situation he was in right now. He had fought psychotic representations of mankind's greatest sins. Fought creatures that wanted to bring the world around them to ruin without the populous at large ever knowing. He even was beginning to find himself becoming the thing he always desired: A Hero. Yet for all of the experiences he had gone through for the last few months, Izuku Midoriya couldn't prepare himself for seeing his girlfriend in a tied up t-shirt showing off her modest bust, taut stomach and curvy hips while wearing nothing else but some bikini bottoms.

His late 20 something girlfriend. Who was also his homeroom teacher. Who also moonlighted as his personal call in maid. If someone had told him that he would be dating his own teacher a year ago, he would have given that person a strange look. Now, all Deku could do was stare, go red-faced and stammer incoherently.

All in all, it was an adorable sight for the teacher as she looped her arm around his own and shook the nearly comatose teen out of his thoughts. "So...for once, we actually have a whole day to ourselves, rather than making due with the 'services' I provide you at night." she started as they began their date.

'I can't believe I'm actually on a date!' his mind screamed at him before scrambling to respond to the open icebreaker she offered him. "Y-y-yeah Kawakami sen-" he began before a finger was placed on his lips and a small, playful glare was sent his way.

"What did I tell you to call me when we are alone like this?" She asked, trying her hardest to break him out of his bad habit of giving everyone else around him honorifics while placing himself on the lowest level of the totem pole socially. She wasn't a psychiatrist, but she knew and worried about the bullying her young lover had gone through growing up. They were both Quirkless, so she could relate to him on a level that many could not. After all, there was only so much that hard work and skill could take you before someone with a quirk came by and outdid you in every category, just because of genetics. It was a harsh, almost unforgiving world, but it was one that they both endured silently and painfully.

Midoriya slowly gulped at feeling that soft finger placed against his lips before he answered. "Sadayo-koi."

Slowly, the glare broke out into a mischievous grin. "Good boy. You're learning yet." she praised as they took in the sights, sounds and smells of Hawaii. 'Hopefully, it'll remain uninterrupted'. The silent thought came to her when she realized bad luck followed Izuku like a jealous ex-girlfriend out to spite him.

Or in Izuku's own special case...

A Makoto.

The student council president was diligently watching over several groups of students known to be extreme troublemakers to make sure that they wouldn't get arrested and left behind, ruining the schools reputation overall. Suddenly her head snapped right in the direction of the secret couple and her eyes narrowed slightly.

"My Midori sense is tingling." she muttered to herself, a second sense she had picked up during her tenure as his unofficial protector and bodyguard growing up. When they had met again for the first time, she could tell those feelings of being a big sister hadn't gone away, not completely.

Now, they were gnawing at her thoughts like a rabid dog. Or in her unique case, revving up Joanna and ready to commit cognitional vehicular homicide on somebody if they were bullying him again. Oh, Izuku had gotten much better at dealing with things ever since the school year started for him, but the chains of the past and his own feelings of inadequacy from Baka-gou still lingered on him.

She had to bite the nail of her thumb as a decision was on hand. The teen was a living trouble magnet and the perfect example of Murphy's Law at times. Yet she gave her word that she would watch over the trouble students and set them straight to the staff.

The old Makoto would have just done whatever the teachers said mindlessly. Now that she had activated her Persona, however, things were a bit different. She was more true to herself, but still had to keep up the societal expectations placed upon her.

Just as she was about to go follow her senses, a stray thought lingered in the back of her mind. Something Izuku told her a few months back.

'Koto-san. Please...let me do this on my own.'

The crybaby that she always had to look over was finally growing up and becoming his own person. She had to trust that he would take care of himself and not rely on her forever.

...so why was there a fist shaped indentation on the palm tree next to her when she thought of the recent 'troubles' he had gone through and 90% of them were because he somehow had become the unofficial school heartthrob?

* * *

**Wayward Relationships**

**Written by: Cloud Link Zero**

"A-a-ann-chan, w-w-we're still in public!" Izuku stammered, face flushed red as he looked at his expectant girlfriend, who had her mouth open and staring pointedly at both him and the double strawberry chocolate deluxe creme crepe in his hand. He had no problem doting on the model and his fellow Phantom Thief in private (albeit privacy was a rather strong word when Morgana tended to act like a chaperone everywhere), but this was the first time she demanded he feed her in public and his self-esteem issues came back in full force.

"This is for your own good, Izu-kun. We're dating now and I'm a minor celebrity in some places being a model. You have to get used to little things like this." Ann patiently informed him, holding his free hand in her own while pointing her thumb at some of the onlookers that gathered around them. "Now, feed me. Your Queen demands it."

"I thought Queen was Koto-san's codename?" he queried towards the twin-tailed American in amusement.

"Outside of you-know-what and in the bedroom it isn't. Now hurry up, the cream is dripping."

"Ah!"

As this was happening, across the street at another cafe, Ryuji Sakamoto and Makoto Nijima looked at the scene with neutral expressions on their faces. Ryuji was slurping on a soda while Makoto was more gracefully drinking some tea.

"Hey Prez?" Ryuji suddenly asked out of the blue, not taking his eyes off the couple for a second in case hecklers came to interrupt them.

"Hm?" Makoto responded, mid-sip.

"You ever think it's weird how Izuku and Ann kind of got together? Or how he is with any girl in or outside our group?"

Putting down her tea cup, she broke her eye contact with the couple to look at Ryuji. "What do you mean?"

Ryuji sighed as he placed his soda can on the table. "Like...I know it ain't his Quirk or anything, but he seems to have this...I dunno, charisma? Almost like if life was like one of those romance sim games where you pick an option and if its the right one then no matter how much of a stranger you are to her, the girl begins to like you?"

Makoto quirked at eyebrow at the example that he chose. "How do you figure its something like that?" she asked, not showing her own thoughts towards the matter, even if she had secretly thought something similar to what he was describing whenever she saw Izuku with other girls as well.

"Well, it's just...you know me and Ann-"

"Ann and I." Makoto subconsciously corrected, before blushing when Ryuji gave her a deadpan stare.

"Ann and I knew each other since we were younger and we've been getting close lately." he finished with the corrected grammar.

"Now that you mention it...I honestly did think that you two were going to date at some point after Kaneshiro's palace. You two were really close." she agreed.

"Yeah, but on the day I wanted to ask her how she felt I got a message saying that she had asked Izuku out and how she managed to wrangle a yes out of him is beyond me." As he continued his small narrative, he nudged Makoto's shoulder and pointed across the street where a Paparazzi was taking pictures of the couple using his Quirk to stick to a wall so he had the high ground. Makoto's eyes narrowed at the sight as they each placed down some money and both cracked their knuckles at the exact same time. The photographer took notice of this and began to beat feet into a nearby alleyway but by then both were already on his tail.

"So keep going. I know Izuku is the extremely shy type and a girl asking him out is usually something he'd ask for time to think about but I was surprised that he said yes too." Makoto asked as they ran, while also slightly annoyed because her own story paralleled Ryuji's own. She had been wanting to have Izuku ask her out for months, but out of nowhere she got a text saying that he was dating Ann. She was happy, for him of course, but it didn't stop her own heartbreak for being too slow and too cautious to ruin their friendship at a chance for something more.

"OI! GET BACK HERE ASSHOLE! Er...well, I decided to follow Izuku around. Sneaky like, you know? I saw him hanging out with other girls and despite him not knowing them for more than a few months at most, he somehow always says the right things that have them wrapped around his finger and he doesn't even know it. There's the girl from Yusuke's school, that one girl from UA and even Futaba-chan. I even saw him with a young Doctor Lady that was totally into him and he didn't even know it." Ryuji said between measured steps as the reporter jumped down when he couldn't go between buildings to try and lose the duo in the crowd.

Makoto would have none of that and grabbed a nearby trashcan lid and threw it with the same focus as she would when firing her magnum in the Cognitive World. It caught the photographer on the back on his head and sent him crumbling to the ground where the two quickly caught up to him. While Ryuji began to shake the guy down and give the usual threats, Makoto quickly deleted the data off of the guys camera and for good measure, 'pressed' the picture button just a bit too hard and broke it subtly enough that the guy wouldn't notice until he tried again.

"Well, Izuku's always been a considerate guy Ryuji. You know that and I know that because you're his best male friend and I am...or was...his closest female friend." she reasoned with him.

"It's just weird though Prez. We both know how he's like, but whenever I see him talking to some of these girls its like he's a whole different person just for them. I know he ain't toying with their hearts or anything, but he never, EVER fails to say the right thing that gets them blushing like crazy but he seems to be blind to it." Ryuji said after dropping the guy and watching him quickly flee after the message was sent.

"You'd think it's more likely Morgana would be giving him advice on what to say while in his bag." she mused.

"Yeah, but the furball is even more in love with Ann than anyone else. I doubt he'd tell my bud how to somehow get her to fall for him."

Makoto shook her head at how this conversation was going. "Look at us. Stalking our ex-love interests to make sure their date goes ok and discussing how they got together when everything else points towards how they should have dated us instead. Makes me feel petty."

Ryuji chuckled in amusement but did not disagree. "Yeah. Weird conversation powers aside, it wasn't all bad those two getting together. They're happy. That's more than enough." he said as he wrapped an arm around Makoto's waist. If their friends had seen this, their jaws would have dropped. Even more so when Makoto leaned into him and kissed Ryuji lightly on the lips.

"Yeah. Let's face it though, my rebellious side demands that I have a bad boy and Izuku really doesn't fit that image." she said with a fit of giggles towards the end, imagining him dressing like a Yakuza and both trying and failing horribly at being intimidating.

"Mom likes you too. I'm pretty sure she's expecting grandkids soon." Ryuji joked, only to get a light elbow to the ribs in return.

"Try to pass high school first and get into a good college. Then we'll see about moving up to the next step." Makoto challenged.

"I already saw you naked the other night. What else is left?" Ryuji boldly responded, only to nervously back up and start running when Makoto's face went atomic red in anger and embarrassment.

"SAKAMOTO! GET BACK HERE!"

Two mismatched couples in the eyes of everyone, but to the four friends, everything seemed to work out perfectly regardless.

**The End**


	6. The Phantom

**Reminder: These snippits are non-canon unless specified as so. **

The Phantom

By: Blue Flaming Wings (on Spacebattles)

This would be her tomb.

Futaba knew, just _knew_, that she would die in this room. That she would die among the whispers and the shrieks. That she would die as the days passed to months passed to years. Too much of a coward to end it and rightly paying penitence to the phantoms that flickered in her mind's eye.

The Phantom.

It had just left her – leaving her curled up and rocking before the computer monitor when it happened.

_"__I-I'm I-Izuku Midoriya! I-it's a pl-pleasure to finally meet you, sir!"_

His voice shouldn't have caught her attention. Not when he was so soft-spoken – mumbling and stuttering his words. And _especially _when she was in this state. But it did. Perhaps because he used the word "finally" which caused her to realize that _this _was the supposed assaulter. Sojiro had told her a while ago that he would be taking in a new charge, but outside of insisting that he didn't stay here she hadn't put much stock in it.

But…

This meek boy sounded like he wouldn't hurt a fly.

Sojiro agreed with her, _"Why would a kid like you stick your nose in something like that when you're this skittish?"  
_  
A silence followed, and Futaba was pretty sure she wouldn't hear an answer. The girl reached for the computer – ready to flip off the speakers.

Then he spoke.

_"That woman was calling out for help. I couldn't just do nothing…"_

Her hand froze.

…

She probably would have forgotten about him or rather _force _herself to forget about him if it were not for what happened the next day.

That Sunday Sojiro was taking the boy to his new school, Shujin Academy. In another time, in another world, she would be starting school there next year. But in this world, she waited and waited and waited. Letting time slowly drain by as the hours went on and Sojiro finally came home.

Days where Leblanc isn't open are slow, meandering affairs. Futaba usually spent them wasting the time away through gaming and reading. This time around she had a book out entitled _Storyworlds Across Media: Towards a Media-Conscious Narratology _(and no, it was definitely wasn't as dry or technical as the title suggested) when her adopted father came through the door. She hurried to her door and only paused a second before flinging it open.

"Soijiro! Curry!"

"Hold on. Hold on." He said while in the front doorway. He took off his shoes – placing them neatly next to each other. "It's going to take some time to – " He straightened out and immediately his face faltered.

"What?"

"Did you not shower today?"

In that moment, Futaba noticed the state she was in. Her bedraggled hair, the wrinkled clothing she wore that she had slept in, and her wire-frame glasses that did little to hide her sunken eyes.

"Uh," she started, heat rising in her cheeks. She had forgotten. One would think NEETS had all the time in the world, but Futaba had kept herself, her _mind_, busy for obvious reasons. "I – I'll – " She scrambled. "I'll do that right now!"

"That's – " Soijiro started to say but Futaba was already gone.

"See you in a bit then, I guess."

_…_

"…you alright kid? You sound pretty beat."

Futaba had been coming down the hallway, a towel in her hair, when Soijiro spoke up. His voice almost seeming to echo in her ears as he spoke into the phone. He fell silent for a moment to let the other side speak.

And Futaba was pretty sure she knew who was on the other end.

"... Alright, if you say so. Just try to get some rest. I know it's been a long day."

_Long day…_

Futaba then spoke up as she often did when speaking on matters that did not concern her – softly; with her voice barely audible, as if to not offend.

"…did something happen?"

Soijiro jerked up a bit in surprise. "Ah," he said, "Nothing much. Something happened when we were coming back is all." They both took seats and Soijiro went on as she knew he would. He often would spend dinner just telling her what happened during his day – out of the hope that something he says will catch her interest.

If he noted that she leaned forward to better hear him this time Soijiro did not mention it.

"We spotted All Might is all." When Futaba leaned forward, clearly curious, he smirked and went on, "He was doing some Heroing work – jumping through the air. We were in the car at the time and the kid bolted; you should've seen him. He lit up faster than a kid on Christmas morning." He answered her unspoken question – Soijiro was good like that. "Apparently, he's always wanted to be a Hero."

_And now with a criminal record… _"I see. He must have a pretty strong Quirk."

"Nope. Apparently, he's Quirkless."

"What?! And he still wanted to be a Hero? And how did he get charged for – "

And Futaba recognized that she had stood up, hands sprayed across the table, and Soijiro just stared up at her. Seemingly stuck in a state of pleased confusion.

"Interested in him, are you?"

She blushed and collapsed down in her seat. Even that minor outburst too much for her. "Not really," she mumbled as she hunched in on herself.

He didn't buy it, because _of course _he wouldn't. Soijiro just shook his head and picked up the empty plates of curry, "Whatever you say."

And then he headed to the kitchen to wash them.

Normally, Futaba would have immediately left to go to her room she never gave the Phantoms a chance to catch her outside her room alone but this time she stayed. She lingered a moment. Futaba brought her bare feet up on the seat of the chair and wrapped her arms around her knees.

_This changes nothing._

…

Right when Futaba thought she had a handle on him … on Izuku Midoriya … he surprised her once again. And not in a pleasant way.

_"__He what?"_

That was the signal to start paying attention to the readings from Leblanc. Before then, she had been chatting with some of the idiots (to be honest, she missed the old days where they would troll MMORPGs servers by flooding dungeon floors with avatars but now it's all "justice this" and "justice that") but now Futaba's attention homed in on the quaint coffee house.

She couldn't hear what was said to Soijiro but she definitely heard him.

"No, he isn't here. He left in the morning for school. I have no idea where he is if he's not there."

Futaba felt a pit form in her stomach. A deep pit shadowed in darkness.

Soijiro went on, voice hushed as a couple nearby patrons leaned in. Futaba recognized them as that elderly couple that were Leblanc regulars. "I can't really leave work right now –"

"We are nearly done – feel free to close up early, Sakura-san."

Soijiro nestled the yellow receiver into the crook of his shoulder and waved the old man off.

"Oh. You already called the – I see. That's good. Let me know when he's found."

And that was that.

He was found hours later.

Well, less "was found" and more decided to stop skipping classes and finally go back to school.

…though Futaba guessed she was in no place to judge.

But that didn't stop her from letting out a long sigh when he gave his lame excuse.

_So, he's just like them after all._

She flipped the switch and muted her monitor. Futaba had heard enough.

She leaned back in her chair and decided all at once that she wanted dinner. That boy would just have to deal.

…

Days passed, and she didn't think much of him.

Futaba knew of course that he was still continuing on with his life. Soijiro had told her that he had brought a stray to Leblanc, but once she pegged him as "just another teenager" her curiosity in him vanished.

Well, until…

It had nothing to do with him. At least at first. In the early hours of May 2nd, the internet exploded with life. Shaky cellphone recordings, hastily written articles, breaking news headlines. Futaba took it all in at once and kept combing over the information. But none of it made sense.

_He just confessed? In front of the entire school assembly? Was it a Quirk?_

She would have known if someone close by had such a powerful Quirk.

And she couldn't help but have a niggling doubt about the supposed Quirkless wannabe Hero – it's not unheard of for those with a mental Quirk to only figure out their powers later in life, after all.

And of course, that was the moment that her idiots got a hold of Futaba.

The local Japanese hackers of course didn't know about her connection to Shujin Academy. They didn't even know her identity – that she was just a middle school girl and a shut-in at that.

The Phantoms could not touch her when her attention was focused on the computer, but her "friends" started to wear on her patience ages ago.

591: _"__Has everyone heard the news down in Tokyo?"_

_Idiot 1: "Dude, you know full well that we aren't supposed to use any location indicators."_

Idiot 1, also known as Taro Sakomura, was very paranoid, making use of dozens of usernames and IP addresses. He also never stayed in one city for long, but rather traveled all up and down the country doing skeevy things "for the greater good".

She discovered his identity on the first day.

_Idiot 2: "Shujin Academy? The gym teacher? Yeah. I've been following that story as it develops. Pretty scary."_

This one, Emi Haruna, was the one that made Futaba start calling them "the idiots" in her head in the first place. She was the exact opposite Taro – overly careless and trusting the other members to cover for any mistake she made. She was the one who first insisted that the group go rouge and offered up their latest target.

Who then died in a car crash after his vehicle was hacked.

Futaba stopped involving herself in Medjed after that.

But they still had the means to contact her.

591, the only one with a modicum of skill typed, _"__Something doesn't add up. Both in how it was discovered and – "_

_"__**Enough," **_Futaba cut in, _"__**Just keep me informed."**_

And, just like that, she cut off contact with them.

…

Futaba switched to the feed from Leblanc just in time to see an oddly familiar woman walk through the door.

_"__Inko. What a surprise. Are you here to see him?"_

Back home, Futaba's eyes widen as she placed the figure on her monitor. The woman walked across the café to take a seat at the counter, and the young girl decided to raise the volume.

And not a moment too soon. Izuku came in right then. _"__I'm back!"_

_"__Ah, perfect timing. You have a guest."_

_"__A guest?" The boy turned to look at the bar. His body visibly tensed when he caught sight of the woman, "…Mom?"_

_"__Izuku…" Tears formed in her eyes. The waterworks almost heavy. Her lower lip quivered. "Izuku baby!"_

Back home, Futaba should have turned the monitor off – right then and there. She could feel an episode build up. Strong and insistent. But she couldn't pry her eyes away.

Honestly, she didn't want to.

She watched it play out.

Even as they continued to hold each other and sob she watched.

Even as conversation, as _life_, resumed around them and they stopped she kept watching.

With a few strokes on the keypad, the screen flickered and returned to that moment of reunion once again.

Even as _the _Phantom pounded at her door, raking nails down the wood and shrieking "Futaba! Futaba!" she curled in on herself and _watched. _The sounds she made got fainter and fainter as she focused on the monitor. Her world dwindled down around her and silence reigned, which she then broke.

"It must be nice."

**To be continued..?**

**This was a cool snippit I received from a fan over on Spacebattles! I quite enjoyed it, and made for a fun little look into Futaba's situation during the events of the early story. It's non-canon, but it was still cool to see drawn up :)**


	7. Like Me

Like Me

_I wonder how many will be whispering today._

Hitoshi Shinso took a deep breath as he stretched a tired hand forward, slowly sliding the door to his classroom open. His class at UA academy. The General Department though, not the revered Hero training course. Much to his chagrin.

As Shinso made his presence known to the class, he didn't miss the fact that several of the cliques within had immediately fallen to a hush. Shinso's eyes lazily trailed across the other students, giving them all a bored look before proceeding to ignore them as he headed for his seat. He wasn't ignorant to the stares he received or the obviously pointed whispers going around about him.

"You really think he could be the Phantom Thief?"

"His Quirk works kind of like that, doesn't it..?"

"No way, it's pretty different I thought… right?"

_It feels like middle school again. _Shinso placed his bag next to his desk before taking a seat. He leaned forward on an elbow, eyes drifting out the window as he blocked out the voices around him.

_How long until it dies out this time?_

It had been over a month since the first time the 'Phantom Thieves of Hearts' were announced to Japan. The story of the supposed brainwashing of a gym teacher at Shujin Academy had been brief, but it was big enough for students in his class to hear about it. And that had immediately made Shinso the target of several questions. It had become an annoyance, but it wasn't the first time Shinso was eyed with suspicion by his classmates.

His Quirk, Brainwashing, was always a cause for scrutiny. He had hoped that being at UA, things would be different. But the Phantom Thieves made that near impossible, now.

After some time the questions and suspicion died down. Some students had kept their distance despite knowing the details of his Quirk, but that wasn't an unusual occurrence. Shinso didn't need people like that around him, anyway. What really mattered though was that it had at least brought an end to the nagging of his classmates.

But then, Ichiryusai Madarame, a once famous artist, confessed to plagiarism on live television.

The whispers of class 1-C had once again risen up. His classmates had kept their distance once again, and Shinso was met with the suspicious eyes he was all too familiar with. Whatever hope he had of waiting this unpleasant atmosphere was dashed away. The clock had reset.

"Alright, students. To your seats." Shinso barely took notice as their teacher entered the classroom. Unlike the Hero department, Class 1-C's instructor was the usual civilian rather than a Pro Hero. "I have something I'd like to talk about before we begin our lesson."

"Is it about Shinso being one of the Phantom Thieves?" A student joked, eliciting a small chorus of laughter from the other students. They were silent when Shinso shifted his gaze ever so slightly to them.

"That's enough, Asagi! You're all well aware of the limits to Shinso's Quirk! All of you should know by now that he undoubtedly has nothing to do with those vigilantes!" The students were quieted by their teacher's scolding. The one student who made the snide remark silently rolled his eyes.

One thing Shinso did like about the school was that the teachers actually spoke up on his behalf. Most of the middle school instructors did little to nothing when it came to the constant nagging kids did about his Quirk. Though in this case, it was a bit more serious than before.

The teacher let out a sigh, shaking his head. "What I wanted to talk about was the Sports Festival. I'm sure you all know, but it'll be coming up in close to a month's time."

Shinso's attention was fully taken by the teacher now, ignoring the reluctant groans of his classmates.

"I know some of you aren't nearly as excited as others, but remember that this is a big opportunity for you all. Maybe you think it doesn't matter, but not all of you were applying to UA just to be in the General Department."

_It was better than nothing, but yeah. I wanted __**more **__than this._

"The reason I'm talking about this now is so that you all are given an early start to prepare. If you do well at the Sports Festival and get noticed by the teachers, you'll possibly have the chance of entering the Hero Department. Of course, that's easier said than done. You'll have a lot of competition at the Sports Festival, so start now rather than later."

Shinso's fists tightened in front of him. The teacher was right. He needed to prepare. He couldn't just skirt by with his Quirk. Who knows what kind of monsters the Hero Course had. He'd only caught brief glimpses of their training during school, and what he had seen was nothing short of dangerous.

_The Sports Festival is my chance. I'll take down whoever I have to. _Shinso's brow furrowed and his lips formed a thin line. _I'll silence the whispers myself._

* * *

Shinso stood at the main cross street of Kichijoji, watching as other pedestrians passed by. He scanned the crowds for a particular head of red hair, hoping to find his friend among the masses. After being reminded of the Sports Festival's quick arrival, Shinso's mind drifted to the one person who might be able to help him get in shape in the short time he had. He was already in decent condition, but his training regimen needed to be stepped up.

"Shinso!"

His eyes drifted to his left, seeing a girl with long scarlet hair tied up in a ponytail approaching him.

"Hey…" Shinso's heart tightened and his lips pressed into a thin line. "... Kasumi-chan."

Mustering up her name had been difficult. Shinso was tempted to call her by Yoshizawa instead. But that would likely hurt the girl considering their history.

"Sorry if you waited a while. I needed to make sure I had all of my training gear," Kasumi bowed in apology.

"Nah, it wasn't that long. Not like I could do this without you, anyway." Shinso shrugged as the two began to walk. "You're sure this is okay?"

"Of course! Hirakuchi-san told me I'm welcome to bring who I want if it will help motivate me," Kasumi reassured. "It's nice for us to be able to work out together again, isn't it?"

"... Yeah. I guess it has been a while." Shinso gave a small smile, feeling some relief to hear the mirth in her voice. He was half tempted to ask how she was doing, but fought the quiet urge. _She's dwelled on it enough without me reminding her._

"So, how's UA so far?" Kasumi's question pulled Shinso out of his thoughts. "Is it as nice as everyone thinks?"

"I guess. I wasn't really going there for the General Department, though." Shinso shrugged, massaging his neck as he looked back at her, looking at her uniform. _What are the odds that she'd end up going to the school with where __**they **__got their start? _"What about you? How's Shujin?"

"So far, so good. Thankfully I arrived after a lot of the drama that was brought up with the teacher," Kasumi released a quiet breath, crossing her arms. "But even so, everyone just talks about those Phantom Thieves of Heart most of the time. I'm not really interested in it myself, but they keep coming up."

"Funny. They're the talk of UA, too." Shinso halfheartedly chuckled.

"Really? Even at UA?" Kasumi's lit up. "I hadn't realized how popular they had gotten."

"They did broadcast that Madarame guy's confession on live TV."

"True, I guess, but I figured they'd be focused on… Hero stuff or-something! You know, being a Hero school and all…" Kasumi awkwardly coughed. Shinso felt her gaze linger on him. He glanced her way to see her eyes hiding little of her worry. "It hasn't been… causing you any trouble, has it?"

Shinso let his eyes drift away from Kasumi to avoid her gaze. "Nothing more than the usual stuff."

"That's not good, Shinso!" Kasumi moved in front of him, eyes full of concern. "I thought you'd be able to escape all this talk once you got to UA. I'm sorry."

_What are you apologizing for? _Shiso appreciated her concern, but he felt he had little right to be complaining to her about such things. It was certainly a nagging annoyance to deal with, but it wasn't anything new to him. It just had a different cause, this time.

"It's no big deal." Shinso said in the hope of easing her worries. "It'll probably fade once the Phantom Thief stuff quiets down."

"Still, you should be upset!" Kasumi shook her head, frustration coloring her face. "You've only ever wanted to be a hero, but you're getting associated with them even though your Quirk is nothing like that! It makes me dislike them even more…"

Shinso raised a brow at that, his eyes drifting above Kasumi to the sky. "Dislike the Phantom Thieves, huh? The truth is, I…" Shinso's words trailed off as he hesitated to voice his opinion.

"You… what?"

"... I don't dislike them."

"Eh? Really?" Kasumi sounded like a squeaking mouse, probably from shock. "But… even after everything that you've had to deal with..?"

"Yeah. I actually think… they're kind of cool." Shinso gave a brief lopsided smile before assuming his usual scowl. "Anyway, let's get going before we're late," Shinso walked around Kasumi.

"Hey, you can't just stop there! We still have… Oh, we need to hurry!"

"I told you."

* * *

_So this is the kind of work a gymnast does, huh? _

Sweat glistened off of Shinso's skin as hot air filled his lungs. The workout studio that Kasumi trained in wasn't air conditioned, that was for sure. Heat was emanating from his body and he could barely stay on his feet. The aloof boy was thankful that the workout was over and he could finally rest on a bench.

"You did good today, Shinso! I'm impressed!" He heard Kasumi approach, tiredly looking up at her. Kasumi offered a bottle of water, smiling as she wiped sweat from her face with a rag.

"Thanks…" Shinso took the bottle gratefully, sipping down its contents. "You do this how often..?"

"It's been a little bit since my last visit, but I used to come here weekly since it was a special course." Kasumi explained, wrapping her towel around her neck. "You did really good for your first time! I hope Hirakuchi-san wasn't too hard on you."

"I wouldn't say she was easy, but… I probably need it anyway." Kasumi's coach was unrelenting, if he were speaking honestly. But she was quick to correct him if he made a misstep or punched ineffectively. It was nice to have someone point out his mistakes rather than second guess on his own. "I've got a lot of competition."

"Yeah. She's very strict, but always looking to help you improve! Hirakuchi-san is a good coach like that and should be perfect to help you get ready for the Sports Festival," Kasumi proudly spoke.

"Yeah… I'll talk to her about what she can help me do for this next month." Shinso nodded.

"Good. Anyway, I'm going to go shower and change. You should too when you're ready," Kasumi turned back around and headed for the showers.

_I'll rest a bit longer. I'm so tired. _Shinso didn't feel like moving at this very moment, trying to gain some energy back with his rest.

"Shinso-kun, right?" Shinso's attention was drawn up to Kasumi's coach, an older woman with short cut brunette hair. "You did well today. Thank you for coming with… Kasumi."

"I should be thanking you two." Shinso spoke honestly, bowing his head to her. "I need to prepare the best I can for the Sports Festival."

"I see. So you attend UA. Well, if you're participating, you're going to need to work hard if you're planning to make an impression." said Hirakuchi honestly. "Are you planning on coming back?"

"If you'll have me."

"I would. You seem complacent, but you worked hard today and didn't fall far behind the others." Hirakuchi said in approval, offering a smile. "It shows me you're serious. If you come back, we'll do our best to get you into shape by that time."

"Thank you, Hirakuchi-sensei. I'm in your care." Shinso didn't know the proper tone he should be taking and expressed his gratitude in the best way possible.

"Don't mention it. Besides, it seemed to motivate Kasumi to come back as well. She was rather lively with you around. I think she was starting to compete."

"Heh. I doubt I'm much competition. But she did look pretty into it." Shinso gave a half smile. _How long has it been since she was active like that?_

"Yes… speaking of her… how long have you two been friends?" Hirakuchi asked, her voice hesitant.

Shinso frowned, looking away from the coach. "For a while."

"Then… you know that she's-"

"Yeah. You don't have to tell me." Shinso's eyes were tired as usual, doing well to hide the pain he felt.

"I see… then I'm glad she has you around. Hopefully you can help her see the truth soon enough." Shinso's eyes trailed to the ground, only giving a half hearted nod in response. Hirakuchi didn't stick around, taking her leave as he sat with his thoughts.

_I doubt that I can do that much for her. _

"I'm done!" Shinso drew his gaze back up as Kasumi approached, the red head smiling before blinking. "Ah, Shinso! You haven't showered yet!"

"Sorry. I was talking with your coach." Shinso stood up, wiping his face of persperation. "She said I'm welcome to come back with you."

"That's great! Let's do our best from here on, okay?" Her smile was radiant, for a moment making Shinso forget some of his worries.

"Yeah. Let's."

* * *

"Thanks again for coming with me!"

"I asked you to take me, though." Shinso shook his head as the two headed for the train station. "I owe you."

"Not at all. It was nice to bring someone along. And if it helps you get ready, I'm more than happy to bring you!" Kasumi grinned kindly.

Shinso rubbed his neck awkwardly, giving a short nod. "Yeah… thanks."

"Of course!"

***Groooo~***

Kasumi's lips fell into a frown as a red dusted her cheeks. Shinso smirked as he quickly understood what made that sound. "Haven't eaten in a while?"

"I had a… small lunch today," Kasumi grumbled, kicking the ground shyly as she looked down.

_It was probably a regular sized meal in her case._

"Oh, I know! Since you're feeling thankful, you should get me dinner!" The hair on Shinso's neck stood on end, swallowing a lump in his throat as Kasumi damn near drooled at the idea.

"Er… I don't know if..."

"Please~? I'm so hungry and I don't want to wait until I get home…" Kasumi gave Shinso a puppy dog stare. Typically it was ineffective against him, but he still wanted to pay her back.

_My money's going to be tight for the week with how much she puts away._

"Fine… just try to control yourself."

"Yay~! Thank you, Shinso!" Kasumi giggled, skipping ahead of him. "I'm feeling like a mega-beef bowl!"

Shinso relented to her wishes, quietly following after Kasumi as she led the way toward a nearby shop. _She's acting like her old self… I guess. _He didn't want to assume too much. But it was nice to see the scarlet haired girl so jovial.

"Hey, Shinso," he stopped when Kasumi did, the gymnast sparing a glance back at him. "Why is it you think the Phantom Thieves are cool? Isn't their work making your life harder?"

Shinso massaged his neck, looking at the night sky as he gave her question some thought. "I'm sure that they have their reasons for doing what they have. It kinda makes me think… whoever they are, they're like me."

"Really? How so?"

"... You know I've always been labeled as the 'kid with a villain's Quirk'. And if their Quirk really is a Brainwashing one similar to mine…" Shinso looked back down at Kasumi, giving an honest smile. "Then maybe, they got that same label before."

"I see…" Kasumi looked away in thought, conflict covering her face. "But… does that make it okay for them to take the law into their hands?"

"No. But if they're like me… maybe they wanted to be a hero, too. And when that scumbag teacher did what he did, they decided to become one on their own. Even if it's not a conventional one." Shinso scratched his cheek with his index finger. "They took their fate into their own hands. Which is what I'm planning to do. So I can't really hate them."

"Even with all the trouble it makes for you?" Kasumi asked in minor disbelief.

"It's not their fault that people make assumptions about me. That's on the people judging me." Shinso scoffed at the thought. "So even if it's illegal, I don't hate what they're doing. I've still got a chance to become a real hero. They might have lost that chance."

"Maybe…" Kasumi mumbled, rubbing her arm thoughtfully.

"Anyway, it's kinda late. If you want to eat, we should get going." Shinso didn't feel like dwelling on the topic, again walking past Kasumi to one of the local shops.

"R-Right!" Kasumi hopped to his side, not wanting to be left behind. A short silence followed after that, Shinso content to let the topic be with that.

"I still don't like them."

Shinso expected her to be stubborn about the subject. "I see."

"We have plenty of heroes to protect people. They should know better."

"If you say so."

"And they're causing trouble for you."

"I don't really mind it."

"That's why you better become a hero!" Shinso finally looked at Kasumi, the red head staring at him intently. "Show them that there was another way."

Shinso gave her a small smile. "I'll do my best."

**The End**

**Welp, that was a fun little snippit to write up!**

**This is different than the usual snippit, in that I'll be making it canon. I wanted to write something on the side as we wait for P5R to drop in the West, and thought this would be a good place to start! Plus I just want to write something without the usual pressures of writing the main story haha.**

**Like some people thought, Shinso does get a bad rep from the whole Phantom Thief thing, but I thought I'd put a cool twist on the idea and have him admire the PThieves. For him, he understands where the Phantom Thieves might be coming from. Everyone just thinks that this is a Quirk at work, and so to him it could very well be a Quirk like his. And he can understand them wanting to use that power for good. At least, that's my take on it. **

**Anyways, I hope you all enjoyed that snippit! Some elements of it will come up later on, as this was a canon snippit to the story. Please leave a review, a follow and a favorite if you'd be so kind. And remember to give the TVTropes page some love if you can! Thank you! **


	8. P5R Kamoshida Fight

Royal Mix: Kamoshida Fight

"Slaves! Bring over you-know-what!"

Izuku helped pull Ryuji to his feet, the two glaring as they watched Kamoshida strike the ground in front of him.

"Everyone needs to scatter! We don't know what he's planning!" Morgana advised, looking at the Palace ruler with caution.

"Right! Come on!" Ann slung Ryuji's arm over her shoulder, pulling him along. "Cover us, Hero!"

"Right!" Izuku held up his gun, firing off several rounds in an attempt to keep Kamoshida on his toes. It only seemed to tickle the giant demon as he merely twitched his eye in annoyance.

"You stupid brats can't escape! Mishima! Hurry up with the volleyball already!"

"O-Of course, King Kamoshida!"

Izuku and the others hesitated, eyes becoming owlish as they watched the plain boy run out from under the rafters, shakily carrying a volleyball in his hands. He was trembling where he stood, even more so than when they saw him at school, hunched over like a beaten dog, and looking no better than one either.

"Too slow, Mishima! Worthless chump!" Kamoshida berated him, causing him to cower back as he smacked the ground at his feet with the golden fork in his hand.

"I-I'm so sorry, King Kamoshida! I'll try not to be worthless!" Mishima bowed his head over, shaking extending his arms out with the ball in hand.

"What the hell?! Mishima?!" Ryuji gawked in disbelief.

"What's he doing here?" asked Ann.

"I-It's not him! I-It's just how Kamoshida views him… his cognition…" even as Izuku said those words, he felt his throat tighten and his lips thin into a line. He didn't think it was possible that he could get any more angry with Kamoshida than before, but lo and behold, the coach found a way.

"He's right, don't worry about him! We've gotta get out of the way!" Morgana reminded them, pushing against their ankles to rush them.

"It's too late to run, brats!" Shadow Kamoshida cackled, his iguana like eyes drifting to Mishima. "Now, slave! Pass the ball to me! You can do something as simple as that, right?!"

"Y-Yes, my King! Here goes!" The cognitive Mishima lifted the volley ball up before doing an upward serve. Kamoshida immediately followed up by launching himself into the air, slamming his fist into the back of the ball with astounding force.

"Get ready for my **killshot!" **

The volleyball hit the ground like a mortar. Izuku and the others barely made it behind the pillars before they felt a shockwave erupt around them, the force enough to knock them off their feet despite not being directly hit. They rolled across the ground several meters, the four struggling to stagger back onto their feet.

"What the hell, man… that bastard's too freakin' strong!" Ryuji cursed, using his bat to stand up.

"We have to be really careful with an attack like that. Remember to use your Personas to defend any direct hits!" Morgana leaned on the pillar as he pushed to his feet.

"Even if we do, I doubt we can take too many direct hits from that." Ann grunted, stumbling out of their cover to quickly reengage Kamoshida.

"She's right. We have to attack before he can prepare another!" Izuku agreed, reaching up and touching his mask to summon Carter. "Let's go!"

"Right!"

The four moved out together, lining up to meet Kamoshida in the throne room again.

"You've gotta be kidding me! You brats are still around!?" Kamoshida's shadow hissed in irritation before his bugged eyes drifted to the cognitive Mishima. "I knew I couldn't go all-out with a loser like you supporting me! Get off my court, trash!"

"Y-Yes, King Kamoshida!" Cognitive Mishima cowered away, running out of sight before any of them could stop him.

_Treating Mishima like nothing… _Izuku felt his teeth gnash, hand gripping into the staff in his hands. "You're the trash, Kamoshida! We'll make sure you'll never treat another student like a slave!"

"Hah! Big talk from a brat who can only cower in the face of my might!" The Shadow cackled, striking the ground with his whipping stick. "You'll see exactly what kind of respect I demand! Next slave, get in here with my ball!"

"Yes, King Kamoshida~!"

Izuku and Ann's hearts simultaneously dropped, eyes darting to the side to see Shiho Suzui running out from the shadow like Mishima. Unlike him though, her outfit had been completely sexualized. She wore a two piece outfit that barely covered her chest and waist, bunny ears adorning her head with a crown.

"Ah, Suzui! There's a good girl~!" Kamoshida's voice wreaked a flirtatious tone, eyes scanning her up and down lustfully.

"No way… Shiho..?" Ann's voice trembled as she watched her longest friend hold out a volleyball to the disgusting Palace ruler while adorning a smile.

"Here you go, King Kamoshida! Just for you!"

"Now _that's _how all women should speak to me!" Kamoshida's Shadow grinned ear to ear, "You could learn a thing or two, Takamaki!"

"You _bastard!_" Ann snapped, her eyes swelling with furious tears.

"Don't let him get to you, Panther! It's not the real her!" Morgana reminded her, tugging on her leg.

"I-I know… yeah, but this…" Ann's voice trembled as she spoke.

"Mona…" Izuku finally spoke up, bringing their attention to him. "Take a position above. We'll keep him busy for you so you can take the crown."

Morgana quickly understood, eyes briefly flashing around before grinning. "Right. You three be careful!"

"What do you rats think you're planning?!" Kamoshida snarled, smacking the ground. "Suzui! Serve the ball for me! I think they need another glimpse of my killshot!"

"Of course, King Kamoshida~!" the cognitive Suzui giggled as she held the ball up in preparation.

"I can't believe you view Suzui like this, you piece of shit! You've gone too far!" Ryuji snarled. He summoned Captain Kidd, taking aim.

"Wait, don't fire on Kamoshida!" Izuku held up his gun, his arm trembling as he leveled it on the cognitive Shiho. "We just… have to stop his server!"

"Shiho…" Ann slowly summoned Carmen, but was too hesitant. "I… I can't…"

"Hah! People who can't do what it takes to win will always be a step behind me!" Kamoshida bounded into the air. "Now you'll regret ever stepping up to a real winner!"

"Guys, it's coming!" Ryuji used Captain Kidd to guard him, Ann and Izuku summoning their personas to do the same just a moment before Kamoshida sent the volleyball rocket down toward them. The explosive wave was far more impactful this time, even their Personas being rocked back as the tree tumbled across the ground painfully.

"Gah… shit…" Ryuji slammed his fist into the ground, teeth knit as he tried to force himself to his feet. "That was way worse than before…"

"Our Personas can't even take too much damage from that." Ann breathed out, her eyes remaining on the cognitive Shiho.

"We… We have to destroy the cognitive Shiho…" Izuku spat out some blood that had pooled in his mouth. "There's no way around it…"

"Hah! Look at you rats crawling on the ground where you belong!" The Palace ruler bellowed with cruel laughter. "Good job, Suzui. We'll have to do a few more 'private lessons' to keep up that work~!" 

"I'm so excited, King Kamoshida~!" Izuku felt his disgust churn his stomach, grinding his teeth furiously.

"You're **disgusting**! Treating Suzui-san like a plaything!" Izuku found his strength to rise up, touching his mask and summoning Carter. "I won't forgive you!"

"Forgiveness from you is meaningless," Kamoshida cackled, looking at the cognitive clone once more. "Suzui, prepare another! It seems these rats need more educating!"

Ann, Ryuji and Izuku grimaced as she seemed to draw a ball out from behind her back, offering it up to the 'king'. "Another one ready for you, King Kamoshida!"

"Good girl~!"

"We… we have to stop her…" Izuku bit into his bottom lip as he tried to gather his resolve, taking aim at the cognitive Shiho. _But I'm the one who failed her. I… I can't…_

"Guys." Izuku and Ann drew their gaze to Ryuji, the punk crouching down. "Don't worry. I got this. Remember, this is for the _real _Suzui! This piece of shit just imagined this fake! So I'm gonna wreak what shitty image this asshole has of her and show him what a shitty fake it is!"

"Skull…" Ann mumbled, her eyes trembling. Izuku couldn't say a word, but nodded his affirmation.

Ryuji would be the strongest of them in that moment, his Quirk sparking to life as he took a painful dash forward. He raised his bat in the air as he leapt into the air above the cognitive Shiho, her face showing real fear. Even Ryuji felt his resolve nearly waiver, but he went through with his attack.

"This is for the **real **Suzui!" Ryuji brought his bat down across her head with his entire weight behind chest tightened when he heard her scream, but as he hit the ground after over extending, her body dissipated, the soft reminder bringing some ease to his decision.

"Gah! You damn monkey!" Kamoshida snarled as he raised the fork to stab down at Ryuji. "Looks like it'll be _your _fault Suzui goes through even **more **special train-"

"**Burn!"**

"Quantico **SMASH!" **

Fire and force smashed into Kamoshida's right cheek, the Palace ruler's eyes bugging out of his head as he was nearly lifted off the ground, his back hitting the staircase with a rumbling thud. Ryuji felt his jaw slack, slowly raising to his feet while staggering a bit on his messed up knee. But two pairs of hands caught him, helping him stand as a green wave of healing resonated over his body.

"Thanks for the save." Ryuji grinned back at Izuku and Ann, the two returning it with more sorrowful smiles.

"No. Thank you for doing what we couldn't, Skull." Izuku said with a hint of regret.

"Yeah. I knew she was fake, but I just couldn't do it… I'm still so pathetic." Ann mumbled, but she gave Ryuji's arm a comforting squeeze. "I owe you for that."

"Guys, it's fine. I get it…" Ryuji tried to reassure them.

"Hey! Don't drop your guard yet!" Morgana shouted from the second floor, quickly reminding them that their opponent had been hurt but not defeated.

"You miserable punks! How long until you realize how futile this all is!" Shadow Kamoshida howled, a pair of his many hands pushing off the staircase while another pair gripped into the pillars around him. "I won't lose to rats in my own kingdom!"

"We're going to tear down your kingdom before your eyes!" Izuku snapped in retaliation, taking the lead in front of the others. "No one else is going to be your slave! Let's go, everyone!"

"**YEAH!" **

**End**

**Hey everyone! I just thought I'd write up this little interesting segment of the Kamoshida fight after having played through that part of the game in Royal. It certainly would have made for a memorable addition to the main story, but going back to edit it in seemed too little too late, and I would want to change the entire battle to do so. So I thought a little snip of it worked instead.**

**Personally I would have liked to have Ann destroy the fake Suzui, but I could see why the devs felt that she wouldn't be able to do so, it being an image of her best friend and the guilt she feels over her fate. While it wasn't a function in the game due to some complications in code (from what I heard) Ann was originally unable to attack the cognitive Suzui. So I thought I'd reflect that here, as well as in Izuku who also personally failed Suzui in his own eyes. Hope you all enjoyed it!**


	9. A Medical Trial (TakemiXIzuku)

**Thank you for the beautiful art of Tombstone, theherofan! I hope this is to your liking! :)**

A Medical Trial

_What a slow day._

Takemi mindlessly thumbed her phone for entertainment. Sometimes she skimmed the medical journals from the latest articles, sometimes she just watched cat videos to beat the boredom. While Takemi was used to having slow days, she had rarely had one as slow as this. Especially after a certain number of events took place four years prior that boosted her popularity with the locals. But sometimes, nobody needs a check-up, and that left her with little to do.

_And no guinea pig to talk to. _

Takemi clicked her tongue and pinched the bridge of her nose. She did it again, thinking of her former 'employee'. It had been some time since she last saw Izuku and she was missing him more with each passing day. He had gone off to college, or some sort of academy that he was vague about, and made sure to bid her goodbye after his graduation from high school.

Takemi had nearly confessed her feelings on the spot, but restrained herself. She was afraid of the kind of answer Izuku would give, and also didn't want to be the reason he didn't go after a supposedly opportune career path as he put it. It had been painful to play it off as a somewhat sad but sweet goodbye. He even worked up the nerve to hug her, which took everything in her not to escalate.

It had been a little over a year since then. Izuku had stayed in contact and texted her almost daily. Updating her on his status and asking her how her day was. Sometimes it was something small, but every message they exchanged brought a smile to her face. But recently, Izuku hadn't been texting her. So she started to text first to check up on him. But his answers were often short and vague. Takemi had become a little nervous when things changed, assuming the worst. And by the worst, she assumed that he finally found a lucky woman.

_The least he could have done was tell me. _Takemi tried not to let the thought run wild, but it was hard not to with no patients to distract her.

***Ring***

_Oh thank goodness. _

Takemi turned in her office chair to face the client. "Welcome to Takemi's medical. How can I-" her breath nearly hitched when a familiar bushel of dark green hair passed through her door.

"Hi, Takemi-sensei! It's been a while!" His voice had noticeably become a deeper octave than she remembered. His jaw had become more prominent and his shoulders more pronounced. He had grown several inches by the end off high school, but it looked like he had grown another couple after leaving. But it was no doubt Izuku Midoriya standing at the front entrance.

It took Takemi a little time to process, eyes owlish as she stared at her former guinea pig. But as she reeled herself back in and attempted to lower the pace of her swift beating heart, Takemi hid her excitement well behind a playful smile.

"Well, well. The guinea pig has returned after so much time, finally." Her playful smile fell into an accusing frown. "Awfully _brave _of you to do so after going radio silent these past couple of weeks."

Takemi wasn't really mad, but felt she was entitled to an explanation. It had been rough since their conversations became so limited, and she didn't want to be so quick to forgive. Just yet.

His awkward laugh and smile was almost nostalgic, showing Takemi that despite how much time passed, he was still that stuttery kid who she teased the first time they met. "Sorry about that. I wasn't trying to ignore you, I promise! I was trying to surprise you since I knew I was coming back."

Takemi bit her bottom lip, fighting a smile that she felt tugging at the edges of her lips. It was hard to keep playing tough, honestly too happy to see him. Especially since his little stunt was for her surprise.

But she could still tease him. "Well… I suppose I can forgive it this time. But for that, I think you're in need of a 'medical trial'."

Izuku blinked, paling a little at the idea. The desired response. "A medical trial? I uh… wanted to make plans for other stuff today."

"Oh, it's not like I'll give you something that'll knock you out… maybe," Takemi giggled mischievously, spinning her chair around. "Now please head to the exam room, will you?"

"Alright…" Izuku sounded hesitant, but he did as she asked. _A good guinea pig as always. _

Takemi smirked as she stood from her chair, walking into the exam room from her side. As she walked through the door, she was able to get a full idea of how tall he had gotten. It was almost a little disappointing to have him be so much taller now than her. They used to be the same height, but Takemi's high heels gave her a little more height above him. Now she was barely to his neck.

_Not to mention his broad shoulders. _

"We should do an examination first." Takemi formed a devious plot in her head, smirk ever present. "Take off your shirt. We'll get an idea with a physical."

"Oh… okay." Izuku rubbed his neck but gave a smile that made Takemi blink. "If that's what the doctor wants." he gripped the bottom of his hoodie and shirt and peeled them off slowly. Takemi felt her heart pacen and her face heat up as Izuku unveiled what his clothes hid. Izuku had always been physically fit, but now he was built like a brick house. His shoulders had just been the start, his chest and arms well sculpted with rippling abs on his stomach. He had a few small scars here and there, but if anything they made him more attractive.

_Oh… oh my... _Takemi bit into her bottom lip as she fought the urge to reach out and feel his muscles. Her mind was foggy and her loins burned as she struggled to formulate a sentence.

"So… Am I healthy enough?"

Takemi blinked, her senses returning as she drew her gaze back up to his charmingly cute face. He was smiling, his cheeks a bit red but clearly aware of her wandering eyes. Takemi felt her jaw drop and her cheeks redden as she realized that she got sucked into _his _game. Instead of flustering him up, she had fallen into his trap.

"... You've certainly grown _bold, _hm?" Takemi managed with a cough, pulling her eyes away to focus on a random spot on the wall. "You can… put your shirt back on. I'm suddenly… not in the mood for a medical trial."

"Are you sure? I figured you might want a closer look first." Takemi's eyes hovered back to him, and now his rather large frame was close enough for her to touch. She nearly did but fought back for control.

"No, I'm fine… just hurry up and put it back on." Takemi urged even as she snuck a lingering glance at him. Izuku silently nodded, pulling his shirt and hoodie back on. It was a little disappointing, but Takemi felt her heart's pace slow and her fluster fade.

_Damn it. This kid got __**me **__all bothered instead of the other way around. The nerve of him. _Takemi bit the top of her thumb as she drew away from Izuku. _I'm the older one here. I need to turn this around._

"Since you don't want to do a medical trial…" Takemi paused, turning back to look at him bitterly. "Would you like to go out somewhere?"

Takemi stiffened, her gaze drifting from him. "I… thought you had other plans."

"Well, I wanted to make other plans with _you_. I just didn't want to lose time if we did a serious trial," was his answer, a sheepish chuckle escaping his lips. Takemi raised a brow as he said this, and she felt her cheeks heat up again.

"Oh, so you wanted to spend more time with me, huh?" Takemi gave a sultry smile, leaning back on her desk and crossing her legs over the other. "I thought you'd have some other friends to visit right now. Maybe a girl to take out?"

"I'm seeing my friends tomorrow. They don't know I'm in town yet, actually." Izuku conveyed some guilt saying that, but smiled with rosy cheeks. "But I wanted to see you today before anyone."

Takemi felt her heart pound in her chest and her stomach tighten. She picked up her clipboard and held it in front of her face to conceal her prominent blush, her eyes trailed away from him. _Damn it. This kid's gotten real confident, hasn't he? Being the aggressor…_

But this was good, wasn't it? This was what Takemi had wanted. Had **longed **for since all that time ago. Though to have the tables turn on her like this was almost baffling. He was obviously still a bit nervous, but bore his confidence proudly. Enough to throw her off.

_Still, I can't let this slide. I'll turn this back around on him._

Takemi lowered her clipboard and wore a more relaxed smile. "Well, I guess you came on a good day for it. We might as well head out and do something since you came all this way for me." She pushed off the table and trailed a hand along his stomach. Both to elicit a response and to satisfy her own curiosity. "You've really grown, guinea pig."

"Th-Thanks. Let's go then!" Takemi smiled, feeling she was on the right track after hearing that familiar stutter.

_I'll take the lead back… but god, you could grind meat on that thing._

* * *

Takemi trailed by Izuku's side as they walked through Odaiba Seaside Park. It had been a long time since she had paid a visit to the area, as she felt nothing compelling her personally to ever go back. Not alone, at least. And the few meager attempts by failed replacements of Izuku over the years could never convince her to go.

But the moment Izuku asked, Takemi was quick to accept.

_Ugh. It feels like I just played into his game again. _Takemi couldn't help but smile as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. _He's certainly gotten more charming. But I'll take this game back._

"It's pretty warm out. Why don't we treat ourselves to some ice cream?" Takemi suggested. "There should be a stand nearby."

"Sure! I think I see one just up ahead." Izuku pointed out for them.

"I'm glad to see that new height of yours is coming in handy." she joked, eliciting a small laugh from him.

"It's nice to be able to look out for you, now. You always were a bit taller than me thanks to your heels."

"True. It was fun being taller than you. I was a little disappointed every time I noticed you starting to get bigger. But…" Takemi gave a suggestive smile, snaking her hand around his arm and leaning on his shoulder. "Your new height has its advantages."

"O-Oh, Y-Yeah, I mean-" Takemi took his sputtering as her point. But before she could keep the ball rolling, they arrived at the ice cream stand. "Ah, right! What flavor do you want?"

Takemi allowed the moment to slip away, tapping her chin in thought. "I'll take a green tea scoop."

"Okay. Two green tea cones, please!" Izuku ordered for them, pulling out his wallet.

"So, this new opportunity you've taken keep you stable?" Takemi decided to venture.

"Yeah, it does. If I wanted to, I could get an apartment in Tokyo. Oh, that reminds me!" Izuku smiled, turning to her. "I was planning to tell you, but I guess now works. My training's over, so I'll be moving back into Leblanc!"

Takemi felt excitement bubble back up in her stomach, but she veiled it well. "Well… I suppose that's good news. I guess I'll be seeing you around a lot more now then?"

"Yup! I'll have to travel sometimes, but I'll be operating out of Tokyo for the most part." Izuku seemed positively pleased as he spoke, and Takemi couldn't say she wasn't either.

But it did give her another opportunity to strike.

"Well, I'm glad we have you back. But are you really going to move back into that old attic space?" Takemi and Izuku took their ice creams from the vendor, beginning to walk along the park again. "Seems like you could use a change of scenery."

"I did think about that, but… I am pretty comfortable living in it now." Izuku let out a chuckle as he rubbed his neck. "Besides, it's close to home. Close to Sakura-san and Futaba-chan, and… close to you." He blushed as he said that, but the radiant grin he gave was able to compensate for his nervousness.

Takemi fought the blush building on her cheeks, looking away as she tried to get her wits about her. _Come on, Tae. Don't let this kid outmaneuver you. _She put on a small smile of her own as she turned back, trying to battle the blush that she knew was still prominent and likely was to worsen with her next words.

"Well, that's fine I suppose… but you know, you could always move in with me."

Izuku let out a half choked sound, and she could see his face heating up like a tea kettle. That line might have made her own mind race with possibilities, but she was experienced enough to keep her poker face in place. Though she would admittedly have a problem if he were to call her bluff.

_Though… I suppose I wouldn't be against the idea._

Takemi watched as Izuku tried to cool himself down by smacking away at his ice cream, unable to answer her flirtation back. Takemi saw this as another victory for her, triumphantly beginning to eat her own ice cream as they walked in relative silence.

_Well, the advantage is back in my corner. _Takemi slowly licked at her ice cream. _Should I play around with this a bit? Seems like a bit much, but… whatever gets a reaction out of him. _

"Ah, Takemi-sensei. You have a little on your nose."

"Huh?" Takemi turned to look at Izuku, stiffening when he gently extended a hand and thumbed off the bit of ice cream she failed to realize was sitting at the edge of her nose. He then made the surprisingly bold move to lick the ice cream off his thumb, giving a shockingly innocent smile.

"All better. I'm glad we stopped and got some."

Takemi stared up at Izuku, her jaw slacking as she processed what he just did. It was her turn to blush, as the gentle brush of his hand on her face had elicited a heart stopping reaction out of her. Izuku seemed to process what he just did, as he suddenly stiffened and became red as a tomato. "A-Ah! S-Sorry if that was too far! I-I…"

"Don't…" Takemi put a hand over his mouth as she looked away, swallowing a lump in her throat. "Don't get in your own way, guinea pig." She quickly dropped her hand and started to walk ahead of him, focusing back on her ice cream.

_Damn it. I let him get back ahead._

* * *

The rest of the day had been a lot of back and forth between Takemi and Izuku, though admittedly much weaker than what the two had done during their initial walk. She begrudgingly had to admit that they both had likely taken a step back, likely so that they could both recover. Or perhaps save their best material for their final date spot:

The ferris wheel.

Takemi guessed that he was going to suggest it, so she made sure that it was her who first brought up the idea. He seemed a little surprise but in no way reluctant. The two now sat across from each other in the comfy seats of the wheel car, slowly elevating higher to get a view of the dazzling sunset that illuminated Tokyo beneath them.

"I forgot how beautiful Tokyo looked from up here. It's been so long…" Izuku peered through their car window, eyes glued to the horizon.

"It's been a while since I've seen it myself. It's nice to be able to get out and see it again." Takemi smiled, taking the moment in as she allowed herself to be distracted by the view. Izuku spared her a look from the side, though he quickly tried to focus back on the sight. Not letting the moment go, Takemi let out a snort. "What? Were you thinking of saying something like 'it's still not as beautiful as you'?"

"A=Ah! No, nothing like that! Haha…" Takemi wasn't sure if she completely believed his awkward denial, but she let it slide. As they returned to their view, Takemi's mind drifted back to their day of back and forth flirting and hinting. Before the day started, she never knew if she would have the chance to capture the young man next to her. After everything was said and done though, it was clear they were both interested.

_So why are we still competing like this? _Takemi stole another subtle glance at Izuku, seeing his hand gripping the side of the car close enough for her to grasp. Was she just being competitive? Were they both? She felt secure enough in his presence and how they spent their time to confess outright and know what answer she would get.

_Perhaps… he's trying to get me to say it first? _Takemi silently laughed. Izuku was being aggressive while also trying to be the one to get confessed to. _A little cocky of him, isn't it?_

Takemi smiled, deciding to play her one last game. _We'll see who holds out longer._

"You know, one thing I do like about the ferris wheel…" Takemi moved to his side of the car before he could say anything, sitting right against him. The surprised squeak he let out was both dorky and adorable. "We have plenty of time to ourselves up here."

"Y=Yeah?" Izuku's voice nearly cracked as he suddenly pushed back against his seat, though not completely running away from her. "I guess we do…"

"You know… it would be a prime opportunity for a guy, wouldn't it?" Takemi gripped the back of his seat as she propped up her knee on the seat, slowly edging toward him. "Opportunity to make a move on a girl. A girl who clearly wants him just as bad…"

"Y-Yeah, I suppose…" Izuku was cornered, face hot red as he could only cower back as Takemi stooped over him, their faces only inches away.

"All he has to do is ask…" Takemi let her soft breath brush against his lips, eyes conveying her clear intent as she let her voice drip with sultry intent. Izuku's breath became shaky as sweat trailed down her face. Takemi's poker face might have been good, but the anticipation was killing her. She was so tempted to spring on him, waiting for his next move.

With a shaky breath, Izuku lowered his head in defeat. "I really… can't compete with you huh, Takemi-sensei?"

Takemi let a satisfied grin spread across her lips, though she made no move to pull away from him. "No, you can't. But you did make a valiant effort, my little guinea pig. Now, be a good guinea pig and confess."

"... I-I… I love you, Takemi-sensei. I have for a… for a long time."

Takemi stiffened when the words finally left his lips, her smile falling as her feelings spilled over and her face heated up. Her heart pounded in her ear and she felt that same compulsion to jump on him. The happiness springing forth in her body almost made her lose control. She decided not to fight it so hard. "W-Well… see? Was that so hard?" Takemi steadied her voice as she stretched a hand up and stroked his cheek. "Now, you can get your reward."

Takemi leaned forward without further delay, pressing their lips together. She had the clear experience he didn't, her lips spread gently as her tongue slid its way into his mouth. He was still as a stone at first, but he finally answered back, his tongue wrestling with hers as he reached an arm up and wrapped it around her waist.

She didn't care for his inexperience or clumsiness with their kiss though. In fact, she relished the moment, taking great joy in finally being able to make her long held feelings clear after holding them back for so long. And nothing made her happier than to have it returned.

Takemi finally broke the kiss, her and Izuku breathing hard as they finally allowed air back into their lungs. She leaned her forehead against his, letting out a soft, somewhat giddy giggle. He did the same, his more awkward but no less warm.

"Not bad, guinea pig. You could use some work, but… I'm sure you'll learn quick," Takemi stroked his jawline, his face warm to the touch.

"I… hope you'll be able to teach me a lot, Takemi-sensei." He answered with a shaky grin. She couldn't stop herself from giggling, leaning back in her seat to let him up.

"Oh, I have plenty to teach you. More than you think," Takemi winked, and it got the desired effect, his face nearly exploding. "But we'll take it slow. I don't want you melting that quick on me."

"T-That sounds good…" Izuku hunched his head forward as he struggled to meet her eyes.

"So… are you going to say it now?"

Takemi raised a brow before quickly understanding. Her eyes fell away as she suddenly felt nervous. But she gently gripped his hands in hers.

"Yeah… I love you too."

**The End**

**I know this was pretty sickly sweet at the end, but sue me, I'm a sucker for fluff lmao**

**This was my part of the art exchange with theherofan for his work on Tombstone's design! I'm only more impressed everytime I look at it and wanted to make sure I wrote something that would be to his pleasure. He made it easy too, asking for TakemixIzuku which while might not be happening in story has still be one of my most desired ships personally so it was nice to be able to indulge on the idea XD**

**I do hope you all enjoyed, most specifically theherofan. It's been awesome working with you and looking forward to doing it again!**


	10. RyuAnn Week: Birthday Boy

Birthday Boy

Ryuji stretched his hands to the ceiling as he tried his best to wake up. He drowsily sat up in his bed, letting out a loud yawn. "What a pain… I don't wanna go to school today."

"_Ryuji! Hurry up and get out of bed and come get breakfast!" _He heard his mother call out, brow raising in wonder. His mom was often gone by now and usually left him with a modest breakfast or with some yen to buy himself something on the way. But considering the sweet, buttery smell that wafted through the air and the sound of a popping skillet, Ryuji had no doubt that breakfast was waiting for him.

"K-Kay! Be down in a bit!" He said excitedly, grabbing his school uniform and branded tee from around the mess of his bed. He was quick to pull them on before skipping out of his room and making his way to the table.

"That was fast! You act like you haven't eaten in weeks!" His mother laughed from the modest kitchen of their apartment. She turned off the electric stove and started to put the contents of his breakfast on a plate.

"Been a while since I had a mornin' breakfast is why! I'm stoked!" Ryuji grinned ear to ear at his mom expectantly. "You didn't have to go in to work yet?"

"I asked to work a little later today so I could prep this for you. Here," his mother walked over with his plate. Ryuji nearly drooled at the sight of crispy bacon, an egg and rice omelet and a puffed up souffle pancake dripping with syrup.

"Holy sh-I mean-crap! Thanks mom! Diggin' in!" Ryuji quickly cut into the pancake, nearly swooning when the fluffy, sugary cake melted in his mouth. "Mmm~! It's amazing as always! What's the occasion?!"

The occasion? It's your birthday is silly! Did you really forget?" Ryuji gulped his food down, blinking in surprise as he looked up at his mom.

"O-Oh, I guess I did, hehe…" Ryuji rubbed his neck, feeling dumb. "Guess it just kinda flew over my head."

With everything going on from the Phantom Thieves to their most recent Palace, Ryuji had quite literally blanked on his own birthday. It explained a lot as it was one of the few days his mother would go out of her way to make time and do something special for him.

It was both endearing as well as a little sad for him, as it was a reminder of the previous year where he had been surrounded by his teammates from track. And now, not a single one of them wanted to even look at him.

But that didn't hurt like it used to. Because now, Ryuji had a new gang to look forward to spending time with.

"So~, any special plans with Ann-chan, birthday boy?" His mother teased, jabbing him in the side with her elbow as she beamed at him.

Ryuji's cheeks started to heat up as he thought about it. He and Ann were a relatively new couple who were still in the honeymoon phase, but were enjoying every second of it. They tried to act casual around the others but they were quickly exposed by Bakugou of all people. It was embarrassing but at least it was out in the open now.

Still, as excited as he was to see her and celebrate, Ryuji doubted that she remembered that it was his birthday. He probably told her a long time ago and doubted it was something the twin tailed blonde committed to memory.

_Plus I've forgotten hers. Though I guess I should ask so I don't get in a ton of shit later on. _

Still, this was going to be his first birthday with his girlfriend. And he hoped to make it good.

* * *

Ryuji's foot tapped impatiently as he waited outside of Ann's classroom, waiting for her to finish speaking with some of the other girls in her homeroom. He wasn't sure how best to approach the topic of his birthday, but figured that he would try and see what fun they could have before bringing it up. Or use it as ammo to do something he wanted to do.

"Hey!" Ryuji drew his gaze up to see Ann smiling his way, hand twirling the end of her hair as she approached. Ryuji didn't pick up on every little hint, but he'd seen it so much that he recognized it as her own nervous tick.

"H-Hey!" Ryuji grinned back, tempted to reach out and grab her hand. He had to hold back because Ann wanted to at least keep it out of the school's business that they were dating. "Ready to grab some grub?"

"Yeah. Let's go," Ann nodded, the two walking through the halls, side by side. They didn't hold hands, but their shoulders touched and they kept an even pace together.

"You doin' anything after school? We got time now that the Palace is done so I figured we'd do somethin'." Ryuji asked hopefully, thinking of several fun activities the two could partake in.

"Today? N-No, sorry, I'm way busy!" Ryuji's smile fell at Ann's swift decline, an apologetic smile on her face. "I've got a modeling gig to do right after school. Way~ busy."

Ryuji raised a brow at the tone she said that in, almost like she was covering up a lie. But he didn't want to sound needy or desperate, only rubbing his neck in disappointment. "Oh… I gotcha. Guess another time then…"

"Another time, I promise." Ann seemed to note his silence, lightly nudging his shoulder with hers. "Sorry, I mean it. But hey, why don't you see what Izuku is up to?"

"Yeah, guess that's what I'll do. Hope he's not hangin' out with one of his shady friends though," Ryuji halfheartedly chuckled, unable to conceal his disappointment as well as he'd like.

"Don't sound so down, you'll make me feel bad…" Ann mumbled with a pouty lip. She linked her arm with his, giving a cute smile as she pushed her shoulder against his. "Did you really want to spend time with me that much? That's so sweet."

"S-Shut up! A-Ain't that natural?" Ryuji mumbled, sticking his bottom lip out as he avoided looking at his girlfriend's piercing blue eyes. "And careful, we're still at school, ya know."

"Yeah, yeah." Ann sighed, spending a moment longer linked with him before slowly drawing her arm out of his. Ryuji was a little miffed when he felt her weight disappear but didn't speak on it. "Anyways, let's hurry up and grab some lunch."

"Yeah…" Ryuji didn't bother to mention his birthday thereafter, not wanting to make her feel guilty for not being able to hang out. _It's not that big o' deal. We can have fun whenever we want, anyways._

* * *

"Man that was a real blast!" Ryuji grinned like a child, wrapping an arm around Izuku's shoulders. The two walked through Kichijoji. "Thanks for hangin' out, bro. First the arcade and now darts? It's been a helluva fun day!"

"Of course, Ryuji-senpai! I'm glad we could go out together!" Izuku smiled back, paying little mind to Ryuji's high volume. "It's been a little bit since we could just relax and have fun."

"You're tellin' me! It was one thing after another with that last Palace." Ryuji groaned, retracting his arm and stuffing his hands into his pockets. "Still, all's well that ends well."

"Yeah. Though a lot of good came out of it toward the end for you and Ann-senpai, right?" If it were anyone else, Ryuji would think they were teasing him. But the smile that the green haired teen gave was innocent.

"H-Hehehe, yeah, I guess it did." Ryuji blushed as he scratched his head. His smile soon fell as he let out a sigh, "Still, kinda bummed she couldn't hang out today. It was my birthday and thought we'd go out and do somethin'."

"O-Oh, it's your birthday?!" Izuku asked, though Ryuji didn't notice how unconvincing he sounded. "Why didn't you say so?"

"Eh. I figured it wasn't a big deal. Besides, we're havin' as much fun as if we'd been celebratin' right?" Ryuji shrugged, nudging him in the side with his elbow. "It woulda been fun with the others too, but I figured that if Ann was busy so was everyone else."

Izuku let out a sheepish laugh. "Y-Yeah, just maybe…" He looked forward, pointing out Penguin Sniper. "Ah, we're here!"

"About time! Time to see if we can get that 500 pointer this time!" Ryuji grinned, the two jogging toward the establishment.

As they reached the front, Izuku slowed to a stop. "Ah, wait here a sec, Ryuji-senpai! I'll go and make sure we have a space!"

"Huh? Why don't I come with?" Ryuji quirked a brow.

"A-Ah because-because it might be busy!" Izuku looked somewhat anxious, eyes trailing to the side to avoid his gaze. "B-Besides, I'm going to treat you for your birthday!"

Ryuji didn't completely buy that, but wasn't one to suspect Izuku's intentions. "Okay… if you say so. Don't take too long."

"I won't! Be right back," Izuku took off inside, leaving a mildly confused Ryuji behind.

_What's he up to? _He wondered, but shrugged. _Eh, it's Izuku so I'm sure it's nothin' to worry about. _He leaned back against the brick wall of Penguin Sniper, checking his phone for any texts from Ann. He didn't want to bother her while she was at work, but he kind of hoped she was done. Maybe she'd be able to join them?

_Ryuji: Hey. You off work yet? _

He didn't have to wait long for an answer.

_Ann: Yup! _

Ryuji smiled, about to enter his reply.

"Ah, Ryuji-senpai!" He reluctantly pulled his attention to Izuku, the greenett smiling at him from the main entrance. "They're ready for us!"

"Ah, sweet!" Ryuji turned to the door to follow him, eyes trailing back down to his phone as he started to text back.

_Ryuji: Oh, awesome! You wanna come and join me and Izuku at Penguin Sniper?_

_Ryuji: If you're not too tired._

Ryuji looked up from his phone to make sure he was trailing behind Izuku. His phone chimed quickly after.

_Ann: Already here 3_

Ryuji blinked. "Huh?"

"Happy birthday!" Ryuji nearly jumped out of his skin when he heard that, eyes darting up to see Ann and all of the other Thieves, even Bakugou (though he looked irritated) standing by the billiards area. He felt his jaw slack, in complete shock to see them all gathered.

"G-Guys! You're all here?!"

"Correct. We were informed that your birthday was coming up by Ann, and elected to put together a party in celebration." Yusuke gave the first answer, holding up a piece of half eaten cake.

"I came for cake." Bakugou clicked his tongue, eye wincing when Makoto elbowed him in the side.

"Sorry for not saying anything," Izuku smiled sheepishly. "We wanted to make it a surprise."

"It seemed like a fun way for us all to enjoy some downtime. We certainly didn't want to miss the opportunity." Makoto pointed out, offering a kind expression as they all approached.

"I thought we could do something special with the whole gang!" Ann said, walking up to him with rosy cheeks. She reached out and gently grabbed his hand. "Happy birthday, Ryuji!"

Ryuji choked down his shock, blinking for a moment before a grinning like an idiot and laughing. "Damn, you guys really had me goin'! This effin' rocks!" He laughed, his hand linking with hers. With a quick jerk, he pulled her in and pecked her on the lips.

"R-Ryuji!" Ann mumbled in embarrassment, face red as a tomato now as she stiffened. "N-Not in front of everyone!"

"S-Sorry! Was too happy to fight the urge!" Ryuji laughed as he rubbed the back of his head.

"Hey! Treat Lady Ann like the proper woman she is!" Ryuji looked down at the ground to see Morgana hidden under the tables. "Though… I _suppose _that just for your birthday… I'll tolerate your antics as a… a couple."

"Thanks for the approval, Mona." Ryuji laughed alongside Ann.

"I said tolerate! Not approve!"

"Yeah, yeah." Ryuji chuckled, turning back to the others. "Thanks, everyone. This is definitely the best birthday ever!"

"It better be! We worked pretty hard putting it together!" Ann stuck her tongue out playfully, wrapping her arms around his as she leaned on his shoulder.

"Yeah… it's awesome." He leaned his cheek on her head. "I'll have to work hard to match this for your bday!"

"Yup~!"

"... By the way, when is yours?"

Ann drew her head away and felt her jaw slack before lightly punching his shoulder. "You jerk! I remembered when yours was!"

"Y-Yeah, but I didn't know you did! I promise I'll remember it this time, though!" Ryuji half pleaded, a small grumble rumbling from his girlfriend.

"... I'll let you off the hook for today. Mine's November 12th, and don't you forget it!" Ann pointed a finger in his face. "I won't tell you again!"

"N-November 12th! Got it!" Ryuji laughed awkwardly. "I won't forget!"

"Good!" Ann smiled again, pulling his arm forward. "Now come on! Let's play some pool!"

"Yeah!"

"I'll give the birthday boy the gift of losing."

"This is why no one else invited you to their birthdays as kids, Baka-chan."

"Shut up!"

"I'll be on your team, Ryuji-senpai!"

"Looks like I'll have to align with Bakugou for once. I'll impress Lady Ann with my skills!"

"Is there anymore cake? I wasn't able to eat before coming here."

The night carried on in delight for the whole party. Ryuji knew from that moment it was the best birthday he ever had and would have. With all of his best friends around him and the spunky girlfriend that he'd never let go.

**The End**

**This is a little late to the party, but I had been planning for a while to release a birthday chapter for best boy Ryuji, but got distracted. Then RyuAnn week rolled around and I started working on it. Unfortunately I've been in a little bit of a slump (not super big though) with writing, and didn't get it done in time. Still, I started it and made sure I finished! **

**So I definitely needed some down time from Thieves because it's been driving me nuts worrying about where I'll be going next with the story. So this was a fun little break from that, and unfortunately I may put off the next chapter in favor of some other stories after the monster I previously released. But I do hope this was enough to satisfy you guys for a bit! Please leave a follow, a review and a favorite if you'd be so kind! **


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